The Washington Commanders were surprisingly one victory shy of a Super Bowl appearance in quarterback Jayden Daniels’ rookie season.
No one anticipated the Commanders would reach the NFC Championship Game, but now that they have, Washington’s front office should look to go all-in.
Daniels’ top receiving weapons are wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Dyami Brown. He also had tight end Zach Ertz, a free agent this offseason.
While McLaurin has been a strong weapon on the inside for years, the Commanders lack a top threat on the outside. Brown is still unreliable, which opens the door for Stanford wide receiver Elic Ayomanor.
Commanders Projected To Pick Elic Ayomanor in the 2025 NFL Draft
Barring McLaurin, none of the Commanders’ players registered more than 1,000 receiving yards. Ertz was their second-best receiver with 654 yards. It’s clear that they need a new wideout, and PFSN’s latest seven-round mock draft by Ben Rolfe predicts Washington will draft Ayomanor as the No. 61 pick in Round 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
“The Commanders’ offense has a glaring need at wide receiver. They have their No. 1 in Terry McLaurin, and Luke McCaffrey has the tools to be the slot receiver. However, they need an outside receiver opposite McLaurin, and Elic Ayomanor might be the right player to fill that spot.
“Ayomanor showcased impressive downfield ability, fluid athleticism, and the power to win in contested situations. His natural movement and route-running skills make him an intriguing prospect. Coming from Stanford also means the Commanders would be getting an intelligent player who has proven he can prosper in a struggling offense at the college level.”
Ayomanor red-shirted what would have been his true freshman season in 2022 due to a knee injury, but he bounced back admirably in 2023.
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He finished the year with 62 catches, 1,013 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Most notably, he tallied 13 receptions and 294 yards with three touchdowns in a comeback win over Colorado.
Though Ayomanor had just one season of tape to go off of, the NFL had their sights on him after his strong 2023 campaign. Having won the 2023 Jon Cornish Trophy as the top Canadian player in college football, he put together another strong year in 2024.
ELIC AYOMANOR ARE YOU SERIOUS 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
📺 ESPN#GoStanford | @elicayomanor pic.twitter.com/VjrkZS44vW
— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) September 20, 2024
In the 12 games he played, Ayomanor finished with 63 receptions for 831 yards and six touchdowns. Having spent two years in Stanford’s starting lineup, he led the team in receptions and receiving yards both years, leading in receiving touchdowns in 2023 and tying for the lead in 2024.
The Canadian may suit the Commanders’ need for a true WR2 on the outside, and the receiving duo of McLaurin and Ayomanor working with Daniels could cause serious havoc to their rivals.