Washington Commanders select Josh Conerly Jr in first round of 2025 NFL Draft

The professional career of Josh Conerly Jr. is officially underway. Conerly has been selected at the 2025 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders. Playing his college football with the Oregon Ducks, the three-year product is the No. 29 overall pick in the first round.

Conerly played 41 games during his time in Eugene, most of which were at left tackle. His sophomore and junior seasons saw him starting and protecting the left side. In the case of Bo Nix, the blindside, but for Dillon Gabriel, a bit of a different role.

Even so, head coach Dan Lanning was not going to make any changes to Conerly’s position. He is likely going to remain a left tackle in the NFL with his new ballclub. No point of complicating the process despite having a left-handed quarterback inside the program.

Conerly played high school football at Seattle (WA) Rainier Beach, where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 38 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Plenty of big-time schools came after Conerly during his high school recruitment. Oregon ultimately won out and this weekend, the decision paid off for him. Conerly played up to his capability and heads to the next level.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Josh Conerly Jr.

Ahead of the draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein provided a scouting report on Josh Conerly. He projected the Oregon offensive tackle as either a first or second round prospect with a grade of 6.36. That means Zierlein believes Conerly “will eventually be a plus starter” in the league. No direct comparison to a current NFL player was provided.

“Two-year starter whose in-season improvement and performance against Penn State’s Abdul Carter make it easier to project his future,” Zierlein said. “Conerly is proportionally built but lacks ideal play strength. He strains at the point of attack but needs to get his hips and hands synced to improve as a finisher. He moves easily in space and gets to his angles to help spring the run.

“Conerly sets with smooth slides and ready hands but gets caught over-setting. He has anchor troubles against power that might be challenging to correct. He sees twists and blitzes developing and recovers with athleticism when beaten. Conerly is young and needs more development, but he should become a good starter at tackle or guard.