Mississippi defensive back Trey Amos. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NFL Draft countdown: Focus on Commanders' first-round pick at No. 29

By Bruce Ewing | Last updated Mar 26, 2025 9:28 AM ET

With the 29th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Washington Commanders haven’t selected this late since 2014, when they had no first-round pick. This year, they’ve been linked to these players.

CB Trey Amos | Ole Miss

According to si.com’s David Harrison, Amos fits the Commanders perfectly. He thinks his selection would allow the team to move Mike Sainristil back to the slot while playing Marshon Lattimore on the other side.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound defensive back had 60 tackles in three years at the University of Louisiana before making just 12 tackles for Alabama in 2023. He had 50 tackles, three interceptions and one forced fumble for Ole Miss last season.

The Commanders re-signed cornerbacks Michael Davis and Noah Igbinoghene but lost Benjamin St.-Juste to the Chargers in the offseason. If selected, Amos would join a secondary that gave up the third-fewest yards per game (185.5) in 2024 after allowing a league-high 262.2 yards per contest in 2023.

CB Maxwell Hairston | Kentucky

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. also thinks Washington will upgrade its secondary with an SEC cornerback but believes it will be Hairston, a player he considers a “pro-ready prospect.”

Hairston had 87 tackles, six interceptions and three forced fumbles in three years at Kentucky, with five interceptions (two returned for touchdowns) and 66 tackles in 2023.

A shoulder injury limited Hairston to seven games in 2024 but didn’t stop him from posting another pick-six and running a 4.28, the best of all cornerbacks at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Maxwell Hairston with effortless speed in DB drills

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A bit slender at 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds, Hairston will have to prove he can handle the physicality of NFL receivers, but his big-play ability makes him an excellent choice for an up-and-coming team like the Commanders.

DT Derrick Harmon | Oregon

Count CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson among those impressed by Harmon’s eight pressures in an early-season win against Boise State. Hamon had only 3.5 sacks in three years with Michigan State before transferring to Oregon, where he had 45 tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles in 2024.

While he doesn’t possess many pass-rush moves, the 6-foot-5, 310-pound former Duck is a powerful player with an exceptional bull-rush and someone Wilson calls “country strong.”

The Commanders signed former Jets DT Javon Kinlaw to a three-year, $45M contract but lost edge-rushers Jonathan Allen (Vikings) and Dante Fowler Jr. (Cowboys) this offseason. Fowler led the team with 10.5 sacks last season and could be hard to replace next season.

Harmon isn’t likely to see double-digit sacks as a rookie, but pairing him with a veteran like Kinlaw, a first-round pick himself in 2020, could help the team immensely in 2025.

Bruce Ewing

Bruce Ewing is 183 pounds of twisted steel and Happy Meals. His work has appeared on Yardbarker, 5th Down Fantasy, Inside the Iggles and MSN. Give a Philly fan a break and follow him on Twitter/X at @fantasybruce.

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