The Washington Commanders selected former Notre Dame defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste in the draft.
The Washington Commanders selected young Haitian-American Javontae Jean-Baptiste, former Notre Dame defensive end, in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft, selecting him with the 222nd overall pick. This is the second year in a row that a defensive end of Notre Dame is drafted.
Jean-Baptiste joined Notre Dame for the 2023 season after five seasons at Ohio State, where he accumulated 51 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and eight sacks.
A New Jersey native, he was a key part of Notre Dame’s defense, contributing to a remarkable season where the team ranked 7th in defense in points allowed, 5th in yards allowed per game, and 5th in yards allowed per play.
Jean-Baptiste had 49 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and five sacks in his lone season in South Bend. He also shined as a passer, recording 38 quarterback pressures, and demonstrated his effectiveness against the run with 28 stops and 10.5 tackles for loss. His performance against USC, particularly against quarterback Caleb Williams, was remarkable, contributing to the dominance of the Irish defense.
