Commanders' Newest Tackle: Analyzing Josh Conerly Jr.

Josh Conerly Jr.: Breaking Down the Commanders' First-Round Pick

The Washington Commanders selected Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr. with the 29th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, adding a young, athletic protector for quarterback Jayden Daniels. Let's dive into the numbers behind Washington's newest offensive lineman.

Oregon's Elite 2024 Season

Conerly was a key part of an Oregon Ducks team that had an extraordinary 2024 season, going 13-0 in the regular season before winning the Big Ten Championship against Penn State. The Ducks were ranked #1 for much of the season before ultimately falling to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl CFP Quarterfinal.

After protecting Bo Nix in 2023, Conerly helped anchor an offensive line that allowed quarterback Dillon Gabriel to succeed against some of the nation's elite defences, including Michigan, Wisconsin, and Penn State in the Big Ten Championship game.

Pass Protection Excellence

What stands out most about Conerly is his efficiency in pass protection. During the 2024 season, he allowed just 9 total pressures (1 sack, 2 hits, 6 hurries) across 523 pass-blocking snaps. That's an exceptional pressure rate of just 1.7%, especially impressive considering the calibre of edge rushers he faced in the Big Ten.

According to the Commanders' official website, his only allowed sack of the season 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.

Career Progression

Conerly played 118 snaps as a freshman reserve in 2022, before earning the starting left tackle role in 2023 where he played 901 snaps. In 2024, he was on the field for 965 snaps and earned Third-team Associated Press All-American and First-team All-Big Ten honours in his junior season.

Athletic Profile

At the NFL Combine, Conerly's athleticism was on full display:

• 40-yard dash: 5.05 seconds

• 10-yard split: 1.71 seconds

• Vertical jump: 34.5 inches (among the top performers for offensive linemen)

• Broad jump: 8'7" (103 inches)

His athletic testing earned him an Athleticism Score of 82 from PFF, ranking 6th among all offensive tackles at the 2025 Combine. His impressive vertical jump in particular demonstrates the explosive power in his 6'5", 311-pound frame.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Conerly's greatest strengths include his composed, athletic movements and his ability to accelerate hard into down blocks. Scouts have praised his well-balanced slides both diagonally and back inside, along with his sudden punch that comes with good pop. He also shows excellent awareness, effectively squeezing the B-gap and scanning for incoming defenders when rushers void their area.

His primary weakness, according to most scouting reports, is his anchor against power rushers. Conerly sometimes struggles against speed-to-power moves and needs to improve his play strength, though at just 21 years old, he has plenty of time to develop in this area.

PFF Recognition

PFF's metrics confirm what the eye test suggests. Conerly earned a strong 78.3 overall grade in 2024. When compared to other tackle prospects at the 2025 Combine, he ranked:

• 5th in Production Score

• 6th in Athleticism Score

• 4th in Total Score

Fitting into Washington's Offensive Line

Conerly enters a revamped Commanders offensive line that's being built to protect franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels. With the acquisition of veteran left tackle Laremy Tunsil earlier this offseason, Conerly will likely compete with Brandon Coleman for the starting right tackle position. Andrew Wylie, who started at right tackle last season, could potentially move inside to guard or serve as a versatile backup.

While some analysts project Conerly could eventually kick inside to guard, his impressive pass protection skills at tackle suggest the Commanders will first give him every opportunity to establish himself on the edge. His athleticism and movement skills make him an ideal fit for offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's system, which values offensive linemen who can move in space and block at the second level.

What's Next?

The Commanders are building a fortress around Jayden Daniels, having traded for Laremy Tunsil earlier this offseason and now adding Conerly. At just 21 years old, Conerly brings proven success against elite competition and impressive physical tools to Washington.

If his ability to stonewalk edge rushers from college football's best programmes translates to the NFL, Commanders fans have reason to be excited about their offensive line's future.