The Washington Commanders hold the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, giving them a chance to draft one of the best players available. Here's a look at the full history of the pick dating back to 1936.
2025-2016
| Year | Player | Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | OL Armand Membou | New York Jets | 17 games started |
| 2024 | OL JC Latham | Tennessee Titans | 30 games started |
| 2023 | LB Tyree Wilson | Las Vegas Raiders | 50 games, 12 sacks, 91 tackles |
| 2022 | OL Evan Neal | New York Giants | 27 games started |
| 2021 | OL Penei Sewell | Detroit Lions | 83 games started, 4x Pro Bowl, 3x All-Pro |
| 2020 | DT Derrick Brown | Carolina Panthers | 81 games started, 13 sacks, 321 tackles, Pro Bowl |
| 2019 | LB Josh Hines-Allen | Jacksonville Jaguars | 93 games started, 61 sacks, 345 tackles, 2x Pro Bowl |
| 2018 | QB Josh Allen | Buffalo Bills | 127 games started, 30,102 yards, 220 TDs, 94 INTs, 4x Pro Bowl, 2024 MVP |
| 2017 | WR Mike Williams | Los Angeles Chargers | 67 games started, 330 REC, 5,104 YDS, 32 TDs |
| 2016 | DE DeForest Bucker | San Francisco 49ers | 146 games started, 71.5 sacks, 652 tackles |
2015-1936
| Year | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | WR Kevin White | Chicago Bears |
| 2014 | WR Mike Evans | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 2013 | G Jonathan Cooper | Arizona Cardinals |
| 2012 | DB Mark Barron | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 2011 | DE Aldon Smith | San Francisco 49ers |
| 2010 | DB Joe Haden | Cleveland Browns |
| 2009 | WR Darius Heyward-Bey | Oakland Raiders |
| 2008 | DT Sedrick Ellis | New Orleans Saints |
| 2007 | RB Adrian Peterson | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2006 | TE Vernon Davis | San Francisco 49ers |
| 2005 | WR Troy Williamson | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2004 | WR Roy Williams | Detroit Lions |
| 2003 | QB Byron Leftwich | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 2002 | OT Bryant McKinnie | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2001 | DE Andre Carter | San Francisco 49ers |
| 2000 | RB Thomas Jones | Arizona Cardinals |
| 1999 | CB Champ Bailey | Washington Redskins |
| 1998 | OT Kyle Turley | New Orleans Saints |
| 1997 | WR Ike Hilliard | New York Giants |
| 1996 | WR Terry Glenn | New England Patriots |
| 1995 | DE Mike Mamula | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1994 | DT Bryant Young | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1993 | WR Curtis Conway | Chicago Bears |
| 1992 | CB Troy Vincent | Miami Dolphins |
| 1991 | OT Charles McRae | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 1990 | QB Andre Ware | Detroit Lions |
| 1989 | RB Tim Worley | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1988 | WR Sterling Sharpe | Green Bay Packers |
| 1987 | DE Reggie Rogers | Detroit Lions |
| 1986 | OG Brian Jozwiak | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1985 | OT Ken Ruettgers | Green Bay Packers |
| 1984 | LB Ricky Hunley | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 1983 | QB Todd Blackledge | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1982 | RB Darrin Nelson | Minnesota Vikings |
| 1981 | LB Hugh Green | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 1980 | TE Junior Miller | Atlanta Falcons |
| 1979 | QB Phil Simms | New York Giants |
| 1978 | TE Ken MacAfee | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1977 | DE Joe Campbell | New Orleans Saints |
| 1976 | RB Mike Pruitt | Cleveland Browns |
| 1975 | WR Larry Burton | New Orleans Saints |
| 1974 | TE J.V. Cain | St. Louis Rams |
| 1973 | TE Paul Seymour | Buffalo Bills |
| 1972 | DB Willie Buchanon | Green Bay Packers |
| 1971 | RB Joe Profit | Atlanta Falcons |
| 1970 | DT Mike Reid | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 1969 | WR Ron Sellers | Boston Patriots |
| 1968 | DT Ken Hardy | New Orleans Saints |
| 1967 | RB Mel Farr | Detroit Lions |
| 1966 | DT Jerry Shay | Minnesota Vikings |
| 1965 | RB Donny Anderson | Green Bay Packers |
| 1964 | QB Bill Munson | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1963 | TE Pat Richter | Washington Redskins |
| 1962 | RB Ronnie Bull | Chicago Bears |
| 1961 | RB Tom Matte | Batimore Colts |
| 1960 | G Rogers Davis | Chicago Bears |
| 1959 | B Don Clark | Chicago Bears |
| 1958 | LB Chuck Howley | Chicago Bears |
| 1957 | FB Clarence Peaks | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1956 | HB Joe Childress | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1955 | LB Larry Morris | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1954 | HB Johnny Lattner | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1953 | DB Al Carmichael | Green Bay Packers |
| 1952 | B Larry Isbell | Washington Redskins |
| 1951 | DB Ebert Van Buren | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1950 | QB Travis Tidwell | New York Giants |
| 1949 | QB Bobby Thomason | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1948 | E Jug Girard | Green Bay Packers |
| 1947 | T Tex Coulter | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1946 | B Leo Riggs | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1945 | B Don Lund | Chicago Bears |
| 1944 | C Merv Pregulman | Green Bay Packers |
| 1943 | FB Bill Daley | Phil-Pitt Combine (Steagles) |
| 1942 | C Bobby Robertson | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| 1941 | FB George Paskvan | Green Bay Packers |
| 1940 | C Bulldog Turner | Chicago Bears |
| 1939 | TB Johnny Pingel | Detroit Lions |
| 1938 | TB Cecil Isbell | Green Bay Packers |
| 1937 | WB Lloyd Cardwell | Detroit Lions |
| 1936 | G Russ Letlow | Green Bay Packers |
