There is perhaps no better “draft analyst” than Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy. The Senior Bowl is the most prestigious showcase for draft-eligible players, and it’s Nagy who helps evaluate those players to invite to the Senior Bowl.
Additionally, Nagy is a former longtime NFL scout with several teams, such as the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks. Nagy was a part of four Super Bowl winners during his time working in the NFL.
On Friday, Nagy was a guest on the “Grant and Danny” show on 106.7 The Fan in Washington, D.C., to discuss the Washington Commanders’ 2023 NFL draft.
Three Washington draftees playing in the Senior Bowl, and a fourth, offensive lineman Braeden Daniels, was set to play before he missed the game due to injury.
What did Nagy think, overall, of Washington’s class?
They’ve drafted a bunch of good players,” Nagy said via Lou DiPietro of Audacy. “I’ve been on the phone with some guys in the front office talking about some of these guys; Quan Martin, K.J. Henry, and Chris Rodriguez were all our guys, Braeden Daniels was committed before he got injured, and we evaluated Ricky Stromberg but didn’t invite him.”
Keep in mind, Nagy didn’t focus on Washington’s first-round pick, cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, who was an early entrant into the draft and was not eligible for the game.
Here is some of what he said about each player, beginning with second-round pick, Jartavius “Quan” Martin:
You hope anyone you draft in the first three rounds gets on the field, and he’s easy because you can plug him inti a lot of different spots. He has a lot of range at free safety, can do some nice things inside at nickel corner, and with that speed, you could probably play him outside in a pinch. He was one of the top guys in the draft, not just at DB, in terms of positional versatility.
Nagy is the latest to sing the Commanders’ praises for landing Clemson EDGE K.J. Henry in the fifth round:
He’s going to be a fan favorite and media favorite. He’s a product of that Clemson culture, they do a great job of making their guys grow up. The common theme on that team is that they had a bunch of talented guys who were bit by the injury bug and needed to have good years, and K.J. did that. He’s long, he can run, and he plays so hard – there’s some overachiever to K.J. Henry. He’s got his stuff together, and to me, I love when you can find a guy who is talented but also has that overachiever mindset.
Another really good value pick to me.
Nagy is right about Henry. He’s already a fan favorite. With his multiple interviews and his dad wearing an old Washington jersey after he was drafted, Henry is off to a great start with Commanders’ fans.
As for the sixth-round pick, running back Chris Rodriguez Jr., Nagy believes the Commanders have found another hit:
Love his character. On the field, he runs really hard, and I think that pick speaks to what Coach Rivera wants as an offensive identity. Chris is a little different athlete than Brian Robinson, but they’re the same downhill tough guy, the type of guy you want late in the year. Not all sixth-round picks hit, but I think this one will for the Commanders.
Nagy also believes Daniels is an eventual starter somewhere.
Legit guard/tackle flexibility, could see him playing both spots honestly. He can play both guards and right tackle, and we projected him as a starter-level player.
Obviously, not all draft picks will be successful, but if Washington hit on multiple picks in 2023 it would go a long way in fortifying an already underrated roster.