The views and opinions expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of the team.
In anticipation of the 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held April 23 - 25 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, here's a compilation of various league experts' predictions about what the Washington Commanders will do with the No. 7 overall pick. Check back weekly until the draft for more updates.
Expert: Josh Camaker, USA Today
Selection: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (Fed. 16)
Analysis: The Commanders would probably like to land one of the top-three edge rushers here, but all are off the board. Instead, they will settle for Downs, who fills a need at safety and is arguably the best player in the draft. The Ohio State product has great football IQ and was excellent in coverage for the Buckeyes. He should quickly emerge as a difference-maker in the NFL.
Expert: Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com
Selection: Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State (Feb. 17)
Analysis: Reese provides Washington some explosiveness and versatility. He might be a tougher projection than some of the other pass rushers in this year's draft, given that he split time between edge rusher and off-ball linebacker for the Buckeyes. Reese has the highest upside of the group, though.
Expert: Gordon McGuinness, Pro Football Focus
Selection: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame (Feb. 16)
Analysis: An edge defender would be a strong consideration here for the Commanders, and they'd likely sprint the card in for either Rueben Bain Jr. or David Bailey. However, there's something to be said for adding an elite talent if one falls. Love, who earned PFF overall grades above 90.0 in each of the past two seasons, could pair Jayden Daniels to give the Commanders their version of the Baltimore Ravens' rushing attack featuring Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.
Expert: Field Yates, ESPN
Selection: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State (Feb. 11)
Analysis: The Commanders have made it clear that they need to get younger on defense, so a pass rusher could be tempting here. But they can't overlook their need for another receiver opposite Terry McLaurin. Tate had a fantastic 2025 season and is one of most pro-ready prospects in the class. He's a terrific route runner who makes difficult catches look routine with his awesome hands and body control. Tate averaged more than 17 yards per catch in 2025 and had at least one 40-plus-yard catch in six games. That sort of field-stretching speed and tracking ability could make him an ideal option for quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Expert: Garrett Podeli, CBS Sports
Selection: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State (Feb. 11)
Analysis: Styles is the perfect modern inside linebacker. He played his first two seasons at Ohio State as a safety before transitioning to linebacker, so he comes ready to roll in pass coverage. Styles is able to remain in range of slot receivers in the seam, and he can go step for step with tight ends from sideline to sideline. His wingspan allows him to have nice range as a tackler in the run and pass games. Styles blitzes with a jetpack attached to his back, easily steamrolling running backs attempting to pick him up in pass protection. Styles is a slam-dunk replacement for an aging Bobby Wagner, who is headed for free agency.
Expert: Cynthia, Frelund, NFL.com
Selection: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech (Feb. 6)
Analysis: Dan Quinn is a defensive-minded head coach and pairing him with Bailey is a win-win for both parties in terms of coaching and raw-skills fit.
Expert: Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today
Selection: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech (Feb. 9)
Analysis: N/A
Expert: Max Chadwick, Pro Football Focus
Selection: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech (Feb. 8)
Analysis: The Commanders have fielded one of the NFL's six lowest-graded defenses in each of the past three seasons. Washington addresses that by drafting Bailey, college football's highest-graded defender this past season (93.3). He led college football in PFF pass-rush grade in each of the past two seasons at Texas Tech and Stanford.
Expert: Mike Renner, CBS Sports
Selection: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State (Feb. 9)
Analysis: The Commanders need an injection of youth into their aging receiving corps. We saw how much their downfield passing attack suffered when Terry McLaurin was out of the lineup last season. Tate is the best big-play threat in the class with the kind of ball skills that pair perfectly with Jayden Daniels' elite deep ball.
