The 2024 NFL Draft is a big opportunity for the Washington Commanders to not only the franchise quarterback they've been missing since the early Robert Griffin III days, but they also have six picks in the first 103 selections, which should go a long way in helping new head coach Dan Quinn hit the ground running.

Two of those picks are in the third-round, at what should be Nos. 67 and 101. The latter represents the San Francisco 49ers' compensatory pick used in last year's Chase Young trade.

So, far, the draft targets have been as follows:

• Round 1, No. 2 overall: UNC QB Drake Maye
• Round 2, No. 36 overall: Duke C Graham Barton
• Round 2, No. 40 overall: Washington EDGE Bralen Trice

So, which players should the Commanders target in Round 3 ahead of the 2024 NFL Combine?

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The Commanders should take Michigan DB Mike Sainristil with what should be the 67th pick in the draft

Quan Martin filled in pretty well at the nickel position during his rookie year, but he's obviously more of a safety and is better suited for centerfield. Drafting Sainristil not only allows Martin to play deeper, but he gives defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. the physical, playmaking mentality he craves on the defensive side of the ball.

Sainristil is cut for the nickel position in the NFL and has the tools needed to succeed inside, mostly the aggressive mentality that comes with playing the position. He also played receiver at Michigan the first few years, which certainly gives him an inside track on defending the position.

He'll obviously have his rookie struggles and he needs to add about 7-10 more pounds over the next year or so. He also needs to get more consistent when defending the run. But ultimately, the All-American will fill in nicely when it's all said and done. 

And real quick, going to back to Martin: With Sainristil, the Commanders could move Martin into the nickel position to mix things up from time-to-time in order to disguise things, like Quinn and Whitt Jr. like to do. Overall, it's a move that would make a lot of sense, as long as the Combine numbers are favorable.

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Michigan LB Junior Colson is the next pick

The Commanders find their SAM linebacker with this pick. Colson was one of the most productive linebackers in college during his time at Michigan. He has the skill and -most importantly- the instincts to be a good two-down linebacker in the NFL. 

He could even blossom into a three-down guy down the road, but that's something to focus on later. The Commanders, like every other NFL team, will be in nickel over 60% of the time, so he won't be needed for every snap, especially if the team re-signs weakside 'backer Cody Barton like it should.

Colson also has tremendous leadership skills and while off-ball linebacker may be more of an afterthought these days, we've seen how much good linebacker play has come in handy during the postseason. The last three Super Bowl champs (the Chiefs twice) all had standout performances from off-ball guys during their runs and it propelled them into NFL lore.

All of a sudden, Washington's front seven looks a lot better after the second day of the draft.

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Final word

So far, it's 3-2 in favor of the defense, which is to be expected. However, how Quinn manages this draft will be a good first step in evaluating his growth since his time in Atlanta. It's natural for a defensive coach to get defensive guys, but there are so many capable offensive players in this draft – it'd be silly to put offense on the back burner.

Either way, for the majority, the Commanders are hypothetically building from inside-out, which is always a good strategy in the NFL.

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Kevin Dotson is the first domino that leads to the Commanders fixing a major problem in 2024

The impeding free agent makes a lot of sense.