Commander Country

Could Commanders Rookie Braeden Daniels Play Guard?

Braeden Daniels has a ton of experience playing multiple positions on the offensive line, a big reason why the Washington Commanders drafted him.

Jeremy Brener

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There are still question marks surrounding where Washington Commanders rookie Braeden Daniels will play along the offensive line.

The versatile Utah lineman started 43 games in college (18 at left guard, 14 at left tackle, 11 at right tackle) without a solidified position in the unit. While Daniels' 6-4, 297-pound frame could have him play guard, Ron Rivera hasn't put the fourth-round rookie in a box when it comes to his position.

"Both Chris [Paul] and Saahdiq [Charles] are gonna get a great opportunity to show us what they're capable of," Rivera said about the guard competition. "Would Braeden have an opportunity? Yeah, but you know, we're gonna see where he fits as far as tackle is concerned. And then we'll take a look at the guard stuff, but tackle is something that we really like. A lot of athleticism there. Very raw talent."

Positional versatility is something the Commanders stressed heavily in their draft class, and it can be seen in many of their selections. It was also seen in the team's free agency process.

“The great thing about Andrew [Wylie] and Nick [Gates] and Trent [Scott] is their position flexibility, versatility," general manager Martin Mayhew said. "Trent has played pretty much everywhere except center. Andrew has played guard and tackle and Nick has played center and guard. We have the flexibility there to go anywhere in the draft. Add someone and put the pieces wherever the pieces line up.”

With the ability to play multiple positions along the offensive line, Daniels' chances of seeing the field sooner rather than later only grows.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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