Oregon Ducks left tackle Josh Conerly Jr. is now officially headed to the big leagues as the No. 29 overall pick to the Washington Commanders in the 2025 NFL Draft. The big-bodied exterior bully for the Ducks is expected to make an instant impact and has long been projected to be a rookie starter regardless of which team picked him up.
After adding Conerly to their lineup, the Commanders ended the night with an "A" grade from Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald. According to Pro Football Focus, Washington received an "average" draft ranking, as Conerly fits into the Commanders' strategy of protecting quarterback Jayden Daniels, and 2024's fifth highest scoring offense in the league, at all costs.
In a video released by the Commanders, Washington's offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury left a note for general manager Adam Peters, and it was about taking the tackle for Oregon: Conerly.
To emphasize Conerly's popularity in the league this draft season, it's important to know the 6-5, 311 pound athlete from Seattle, Washington visited seven different teams for top 30 visits, and interviewed with every franchise during the NFL Scouting Combine, a rarity for young NFL hopefuls.
At the combine, Conerly ranked fifth overall for offensive tackles during workouts and punched in a 5.05 40-yard dash. Conerly was also praised during the Reese's Senior Bowl, being voted the best offensive lineman of the senior showcase by his defensive athlete peers that played against him.
During his senior year with the Ducks, Conerly became a third team AP All-American and a first team All-Big Ten selection. Conerly has started all 28 games at left tackle since the 2023 season, including all of Oregon's 14 games during the 2024 season. He played 965 offensive snaps last season with 929 of those reps being at left tackle.
Conerly helped the Oregon offensive line, which started the season struggling and putting up 3 yards per carry during their second contest against Boise State to a top 25 nationally scoring offense and yet another finalist designation for the Joe Moore Award, given to the nation's best offensive line unit.
In an interview with "The Insiders" on the NFL Network, Conerly opened up about his comfortability on the exterior, but shared he'd be willing to switch it up depending on the needs of his future team.
"Yeah, I mean, whatever is asked of me, but I do see myself as a left tackle," Conerly said. "I mean honestly, anything that coaches want from me - that's what I'm going to do."
Fun fact: Conerly is no stranger to changing position based on team needs, as he switched from running back to the offensive line when he played for Rainier Beach High School. That's also a telling sign of Conerly's agility on the field. He exited high school as the No. 1 offensive tackle prospect in the nation and the No. 1 recruit out of the state of Washington, according to 247Sports.
"Two-year starter whose in-season improvement and performance against Penn State’s Abdul Carter make it easier to project his future," said NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein about Conerly during the draft recruiting process. "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."
Before the draft, Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr projected Conerly would join the Philadelphia Eagles. Orr's reasoning sheds some light on how Conerly will immedately add value to a teams' draft stock overall.
“A beefy offensive lineman who could slide into the Mekhi Becton spot and eventually take the place of Lane Johnson? If it works out that way, sure,” Orr said. “Conerly used to be a running back in high school, which is terrifying to think about. Philadelphia wants to maximize the remainder of the Saquon Barkley era, and layering heft on the offensive line is the best way to do so.”
So with the Commanders coming up with an average draft ranking, there's a certain chance Josh Conerly will be adding more positive news next season as an immediate contributor on the gridiron.
