The Washington Commanders’ first-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft, Josh Conerly Jr., is quickly making a name for himself as mandatory mini camp has come to an end.
Conerly, a former five-star recruit from Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, was a standout at Oregon. He started 28 games in the past two seasons, earning first-team All-Big Ten and All-American Honors.
Conerly Impressing Teammates at Commanders Mini Camp
One of the people he has impressed is newly acquired left tackle Laremy Tunsil. During mini camp, Conerly was able to show off his rare athleticism and technical skills, and the five-time Pro Bowler was impressed.
“Do you know who I’m really impressed with?” said Tunsil following practice. “JC is going to be a dog. Just the way he moves, the way he bends. I think he got all the tools to be a damn good player in this league.”
At Oregon, Conerly played primarily left tackle. Since the Commanders traded for Tunsil, Conerly will have to make the switch to right tackle, a switch he has seemed to be open to since he practiced that position at the Senior Bowl. In the past, some draft prospects have struggled when they were moved to a different position on the offensive line. But with a mentor like Tunsil and the special athlete Conerly is, he should be able to make that transition successfully.
Kingsbury Singing Conerly’s Praises
Another person Conerly has impressed is Offensive Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who made headlines during the NFL Draft after leaving a note on General Manager Adam Peters’ desk that read, “I stopped by take Oregon tackle. Thnx! – Kliff.”
Kingsbury has remained impressed with Conerly now that he’s seeing him up close in practice. He understands the value of a dominant offensive line, especially after watching how the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles built their success in the trenches.
“Being around Josh, the type of person he is, his makeup, his competitive spirit, the desire to be great,” Kingsbury said before practice. “The skill set is definitely there, and the sky is the limit for the talent. You see in our division the team who just won the whole thing, they built it starting up front.”
As the Commanders wrap up mini camp and shift focus towards training camp, Josh Conerly has already made a name for himself with his elite athleticism and his character. With the physical tool he possesses and the full backing of veteran leaders like Tunsil and coaches like Kingsbury, he is in a great position to find early success in the NFL, even at a new position.
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