Best draft picks in Washington Commanders history
Stacker compiled a list of the best draft picks in Washington Commanders history using career Weighted Approximate Value (wAV), a metric developed by Pro-Football-Reference.com to estimate career impact. The ranking also lists individual accolades such as Pro Bowl selections, First-Team All-Pro honors, and total years as a starter. Players were assigned to their originally drafted teams, excluding any draft-day trades. Data is as of April 2026.
#10. Keenan McCardell (1991, Round 12, Pick 326)
- Position: WR
- Career wAV: 83
- Pro Bowls: 2
- First-Team All-Pro: 0
- Games Played: 209
- Seasons as Starter: 10
#9. Norm Snead (1961, Round 1, Pick 2)
- Position: QB
- Career wAV: 87
- Pro Bowls: 4
- First-Team All-Pro: 0
- Games Played: 178
- Seasons as Starter: 12
#8. Art Monk (1980, Round 1, Pick 18)
- Position: WR
- Career wAV: 90
- Pro Bowls: 3
- First-Team All-Pro: 1
- Games Played: 224
- Seasons as Starter: 14
#7. Charley Taylor (1964, Round 1, Pick 3)
- Position: WR
- Career wAV: 95
- Pro Bowls: 8
- First-Team All-Pro: 1
- Games Played: 165
- Seasons as Starter: 12
#6. Chris Hanburger (1965, Round 18, Pick 245)
- Position: LB
- Career wAV: 100
- Pro Bowls: 9
- First-Team All-Pro: 3
- Games Played: 187
- Seasons as Starter: 12
#5. Kirk Cousins (2012, Round 4, Pick 102)
- Position: QB
- Career wAV: 102
- Pro Bowls: 4
- First-Team All-Pro: 0
- Games Played: 174
- Seasons as Starter: 9
#4. Darrell Green (1983, Round 1, Pick 28)
- Position: DB
- Career wAV: 103
- Pro Bowls: 7
- First-Team All-Pro: 1
- Games Played: 295
- Seasons as Starter: 15
#3. Trent Williams (2010, Round 1, Pick 4)
- Position: T
- Career wAV: 109
- Pro Bowls: 12
- First-Team All-Pro: 3
- Games Played: 204
- Seasons as Starter: 15
#2. Champ Bailey (1999, Round 1, Pick 7)
- Position: DB
- Career wAV: 117
- Pro Bowls: 12
- First-Team All-Pro: 3
- Games Played: 215
- Seasons as Starter: 14
#1. Paul Krause (1964, Round 2, Pick 18)
- Position: DB
- Career wAV: 119
- Pro Bowls: 8
- First-Team All-Pro: 3
- Games Played: 226
- Seasons as Starter: 15
