Former Commanders GM reveals star player he was blocked from drafting

Former Washington Commanders general manager Scot McCloughan recently spoke with local radio personality Kevin Sheehan.

Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

On the list of former general managers who served the Washington Commanders franchise is Scot McCloughan.

Things were much different for the franchise that would become the Commanders back in the 2015 and 2016 seasons when McCloughan was with the team, and recently, he joined DC radio personality Kevin Sheehan for a candid conversation about the team.

While part of the conversation centered around the state of Washington football today, there was also an interesting revelation shared by McCloughan pertaining to the decision to pass on star receiver Stefon Diggs in the 2025 NFL Draft.

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Former Maryland Terrapins wide receiver Stefon Diggs. / Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

"I was told I couldn’t (draft Diggs) by the owner, he was sitting next to me when the scouts told me about him," the former GM told Sheehan. "I wanted Diggs. He was the highest-rated guy on my board at the time."

Diggs was drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings, selected with the 146th overall pick in the selection meeting.

Five picks prior to that, Washington selected linebacker Martrell Spaight out of Arkansas.

Spaight spent three seasons with the club and started seven games before spending 2018 with the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars, the last season he was active in an NFL contest.

Diggs went on to play five seasons for the Vikings, notching his first 1,000-yard receiving season in 2018 and becoming a star NFL receiver before being traded to the Buffalo Bills in 2020, where he produced four Pro Bowl seasons.

The franchise did draft two receivers in that year's meeting, selecting Jamison Crowder out of Duke ahead of Diggs in the fourth round, and Ohio State receiver Evan Spencer in the sixth.

Crowder has played 123 career games for three different franchises, most recently with the Commanders in 2024, while Spencer was released in the final roster cuts with an injury designation.

Spencer landed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shortly after and made one game appearance for that team, the only official NFL action of his career.

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