Commanders take Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. with the 29th pick in the NFL draft
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The Washington Commanders selected Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. with the 29th pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.
Audible cheers could be heard inside the team facility before it was announced.
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Taking Conerly is another upgrade to the offensive line protecting franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels in his second professional season. The 6-foot-5, 311-pounder from Seattle started 14 games at left tackle for the Ducks as a junior last season.
He was a third-team AP All-America selection and first-team all Big Ten. Conerly is expected to be moved to the right side after the Commanders acquired standout left tackle Laremy Tunsil in a trade with Houston last month.
Sitting at 29 was the latest Washington has waited to make a draft pick since No. 44 in 2014, when the team did not have its first-rounder because of the trade to move up to select Robert Griffin III second in 2012.
After trading for Tunsil and receiver Deebo Samuel, the Commanders have four picks the rest of the draft: one each in the second (61st), fourth (128th), sixth (205th) and seventh (245th) rounds.
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