The philosophy of drafting for need versus taking the best player available is a seemingly eternal debate among draft analysts. You won't find Washington Commanders analyst Logan Paulsen engaging in such things, though.
"It's one of the most annoying questions in this process," Paulsen said on the team's "Drive to the Draft" podcast.
Each side of the argument seems to have a valid point. Those who want to draft the best player available want to stack their roster with playmakers and maximize the quality of their roster. On the other hand, drafting for need allows teams to address glaring weaknesses in the roster and provides opportunities for immediate improvement.
Paulsen, however, believes both philosophies are in "the same vortex of decision-making." For example, if your team has one of the best offensive lines in football, it might not make sense to draft the best player available if that position happens to be a guard or tackle. That, according to Paulsen, "shifts the paradigm."
"It's gonna shift the best player available because it kind of molds and shifts into team need," he said.
Of course, the situation isn't always as clean, and teams have different opinions on the matter. One of the better examples came when the Cincinnati Bengals had the option to provide Joe Burrow with Ja'Marr Chase -- the best receiver prospect in the class, despite also having Tee Higgins -- or draft Penei Sewell, which would have shored up a struggling Bengals offensive line.
The Bengals chose Chase, and the decision has paid off whenever Burrow is healthy. Regardless of how the Bengals came to their decision, Paulsen sees the two sides as being closer than people believe.
"To me, they're the same," Paulsen said. "They're kind of worked into the same calculus here. Obviously, taking the best player available is important, but it's gonna shift based on the team and team needs."
The Commanders might not have to choose between future Pro Bowlers at their respective positions like the Bengals, but they will have several options at their disposal with the No. 7 pick, assuming they stay there on draft night. It seems like the clear answer is to address their myriad issues on defense, but there will likely be multiple offensive weapons who could help the Commanders turn their offense into an elite unit.
In the end, though, it will come down to whatever general manager Adam Peters thinks is the correct move for the moment.
"They definitely affect each other," Paulsen said. "There's no 'right' answer here."
Check out the "Drive to the Draft" podcast for more analysis on the 2026 NFL Draft.
