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WATCH: Breakout Edge Javontae Jean-Baptiste Is The Newest Washington Commander

The Commanders landed an intriguing defensive prospect in the seventh round.

David Harrison

Sep 30, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman
Sep 30, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman / Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports
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The Seventh Round marks an opportunity to take a chance on a prospect. A solid portion of the players drafted in this range don't normally develop into difference-makers in the NFL but you could always uncover the next diamond in the rough.

With their final pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Washington Commanders selected Notre Dame Edge Javontae Jean-Baptiste at No. 222 overall. Though he spent five years at Ohio State, Jean-Baptiste blossed during his lone season at Notre Dame. He recorded a career-high 49 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass deflection in 2023. He led the Fighting Irish in sacks and tackles for loss.

NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein believes that Jean-Baptiste still has plenty of upside as he begins his professional career.

"After a five-year run at Ohio State with modest production, Jean-Baptiste’s Notre Dame tape has put him in position to become a developmental Day 3 draft pick. He has good length but lacks play strength to stack and discard tackles. He’ll need to hit the weights to improve his anchor, but he has the footwork and agility to slide off of block sustain and make tackles. He’s a step slow off the snap, dulling his ability to outrace tackles to the edge, but he flashes the hands and hips to become a more impactful rusher if teams rewire his rush plan. There is still a level of upside available for Jean-Baptiste."

Check out some of Jean-Baptiste's highlights below.

*Article courtesy of Dustin Lewis

Stick with CommanderGameday for more coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 NFL Draft

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David Harrison

DAVID HARRISON

David Harrison has covered the NFL since 2015 as a digital content creator in both written and audio media. He is the host of Locked On Commanders and a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. His previous career was as a Military Working Dog Handler for the United States Army. Contact David via email at david.w.harrison82@gmail.com or on Twitter @DHarrison82.