ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The Washington Commanders selected Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. with the 29th pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night, adding more protection for franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels in his second pro season and beyond.
Audible cheers could be heard inside the team facility before the pick was announced in person at the draft in Green Bay.
Taking Conerly upgrades the line in front of Daniels, who was sacked three times in the NFC title game loss to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia. It also comes after the division-rival New York Giants selected edge rusher Abdul Carter with the third pick.
Conerly, a 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 and should compete for a starting spot.
The Commanders went offensive line over help in the secondary, at linebacker or at defensive end.
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 wide 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.
