The Washington Commanders have signed offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr., their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n
Conerly, a former five-star recruit from Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, is a young player with the tools to be a prototypical starting tackle at some point in his career. At 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, Conerly is a physical blocker in the run game who knows how to finish. In his first year as a starter, he posted a run-block grade of 66 on 317 running plays.<\/p>\n
Where Conerly thrives the most, however, is as a pass-blocker. Back in 2023, he was part of an offensive line that allowed just five sacks all season. He allowed just one sack and two quarterback hits, which helped him post a 76.9 pass-blocking grade.<\/p>\n
“He sees twists and blitzes developing and recovers with athleticism when beaten,” **wrote NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein.**<\/a><\/p>\n Conerly was even more effective in 2024. He allowed just one sack and five pressures — nine fewer than he did in 2023. That sack came in Week 2 against Boise State. He kept quarterback Dillon Gabriel off the ground for the rest of the season, allowing only two quarterback hits.<\/p>\n The Commanders have been dedicated to protecting Jayden Daniels — their No. 1 asset. They traded for left tackle Laremy Tunsil and drafted Brandon Coleman last season. Now, they add one of the top offensive linemen in this year’s class.<\/p>\n