The views and opinions expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of the team.
The Washington Commanders had four picks on Day 3 of this year's draft, and general manager Adam Peters added depth to the defensive line, offensive line, backfield and quarterback room with the opportunities.
At No. 147, Washington got an energy injection at the EDGE rusher spot with Tennessee Volunteer Joshua Josephs. With the No. 187 pick, the Commanders then took Penn State's all-time leading rusher in running back Kaytron Allen. With Washington's second sixth-round selection, the trenches got attention. Michigan State center Matt Gulbin, Pro Football Focus' highest-graded center from the 2025 season, is now a Commander. Finally, with the No. 223 pick, Washington added an arm to the quarterback room with Rutgers signal-caller Athan Kaliakmanis.
The quartet wrapped up a draft haul that addressed needs and created competition. Washington, in the words of Lance Newmark, had set up itself to not feel "pidgeonholed into…'We have to do this, we have to do that,'" heading into the draft. Because of that strategy, the Commanders felt "very free to go after athletic, fast players wherever they may be." "I think our plan was to have that kind of flexibility and that's what we had," Newmark said. "So, I thought it went well."
Here's how national media graded the draft overall for Washington:
Analysis:
"The Commanders were below average in this metric in the 2023 draft and again in 2024, consistently reaching for players. But last year, Washington finished #11. This year, they finished No. 1 in the NFL in terms of draft capital over expected. Washington didn't have much capital, but it grabbed value early and often. It started in Round 1, when Sonny Styles slipped from an expected top-five pick to the Commanders at No. 7. With Friday's only pick, the Commanders drafted WR Antonio Williams in Round 3 at No. 71 when he was expected to go at No. 66. But their Saturday picks flashed even more value. In Round 5, they took EDGE Joshua Josephs at No. 146 when he was expected to go No. 77. In Round 6, they drafted RB Kaytron Allen at No. 186 when he was expected to go No. 130. Later that round, they grabbed C Matt Gulbin from Michigan State at No. 208 when he was expected to go No. 168.
This was an exercise in maximizing draft capital and making more out of less by drafting players the vast majority of evaluators expected to go earlier in the draft."
Analysis:
"Highest-graded pick (2025): HB Kaytron Allen, Penn State Nittany Lions (89.5)
Styles: Styles had an excellent season at Ohio State, earning 85.0-plus grades as both a run defender and coverage defender, and then he tested the way he did at the combine. The positional value argument will come up with Styles, but he has the potential to quickly become one of the better players at the position in the NFL. It's a much-needed infusion of talent for a Commanders defense that ranked 31st in EPA allowed per play last season.
Williams: Williams is a quick, precise slot-only receiver with strong separation metrics but a low average depth of target. His special teams experience helps support his projection as a depth receiver.
Josephs: Josephs has an appealing blend of size and explosiveness but must improve his technique and anticipation to reach his potential.
Allen: Allen is somewhat limited in his overall athletic profile, but when viewed through the lens of a power back — short-yardage efficiency, yards after contact and pass protection — he projects as a useful committee contributor. He fits best in an offense built around man- and gap-scheme concepts between the tackles.
Gulbin: Gulbin checks in at No. 203 on the PFF Big Board after a highly productive 2025 season, where he ranked seventh in overall grade and 12th in pass-blocking grade among 537 qualifying interior offensive linemen. He allowed just five total pressures (two sacks, one hit, two hurries) on 426 pass-blocking snaps, good for a top-10 pass-block loss rate (ninth) and a top-25 pressure rate (T-21). His 82.0 run-blocking grade ranked eighth, with top-25 marks in both impact blocks (24th) and defeated blocks (T-22).
Kaliakmanis: Kaliakmanis is a seasoned quarterback who logged 1,361 dropbacks at the Big Ten level between Minnesota and Rutgers. He offers limited mobility and must improve consistency on a down-to-down basis, but his flashes of high-end accuracy, reflected in an 18.4% plus accuracy rate, along with his performance under pressure and toughness, support his projection as a potential backup option."
Analysis:
"For years, Dan Quinn has tried to find a new Bobby Wagner to man the middle of his defense and meet the tough asks of running down with receivers in coverage. He even tried an older version of Wagner, albeit with an adjusted role with his advanced age and slower speed. He may have finally found his guy in Sonny Styles, a tremendous talent with length, range and an intelligence that makes him an excellent two-way defender against the run and pass.
While I thought Washington needed to add to its wide receiver room, I thought it would go with a receiver who does more of his work on the outside. Instead, the Commanders went with the smooth moving Antonio Williams. A productive and reliable player who is a great fit for a Commanders receiving corps that doesn't have players with Williams' skills.
Joshua Josephs is also an interesting pass rusher with good hands to add to the collection of edge defenders the Commanders assembled this offseason.
Most interesting pick: Kaytron Allen, RB, Penn State
Washington signed several running backs this offseason and got floated as having interest in Jeremiyah Love. While the Love pick didn't happen, Washington still added to its running back room with the bruising Allen. He is a tough runner between the tackles who doesn't generate explosive plays because of his lack of high-end speed. His vision and strength allow him to get the simple yards blocked for him, which is key for an offense staying on script, but he doesn't really put a ton of plays over the top. I like that Allen has the hammer that can work between the tackles and punish defenses that have too many eyeballs on Jayden Daniels. He's like a baseball player who gets on base a ton without hitting a ton of home runs. Rachaad White and Jerome Ford complement Allen's game nicely, and it's a not a bad room they've assembled, along with Bill, without investing too many resources.
Funnily enough, my predraft comparison for Allen's running style was Rachaad White."
Analysis:
"The Commanders had a well-rounded draft, filling critical needs on both sides of the ball. Styles landed in an ideal spot, getting to work with coach Dan Quinn, who has a reputation for unlocking vast skill sets of hybrid players. The Ohio State product can patrol the middle of Quinn's defense before finding his footing as a chess piece. Entering the draft, Washington lacked depth at the skill positions. Now, it has two new weapons for Jayden Daniels: Williams, who can contribute from the slot, and Allen, who can block and make plays with his excellent vision."
Analysis:
"The Commanders seemed to fly under the radar a bit during a wild and wacky first round, but their selection of Sonny Styles at no. 7 was one of my favorite picks. Styles is an extremely rangy, reliable tackler who brings untapped upside as a blitzer and situational pass rusher. He fills a big hole created by the departure of Bobby Wagner, giving the team a playmaker to build around at the second level. I thought the pick of wide receiver Antonio Williams in the third round was a smart one: He's a dynamic route runner who catches everything and creates after-the-catch out of the slot, giving Jayden Daniels a potential no. 2 option opposite Terry McLaurin. Edge rusher Joshua Josephs has excellent burst off the edge and gives the team a speed rusher who can contribute to the pass rush rotation right away. And running back Kaytron Allen could see the field early on; he lacks high-end burst, but he's a physical, elusive runner who creates on his own and can grind out hard yards. Washington added multiple early-impact playmakers, and this class could help get the team back on track in 2026."
Analysis:
"With the Chiefs trading up to take cornerback Mansoor Delane off the board at No. 6, Washington selected Styles over his former Ohio State teammate, safety Caleb Downs. Styles should step into the middle of Dan Quinn's defense without an issue, but only time will tell if he was the best prospect available at No. 7. The Commanders' original second-round pick was part of last year's trade for Laremy Tunsil, who needs to stay healthy and help fuel a Commanders playoff run this year to pay off that deal. Williams was a very good value in the third round at a position of need, because he's quick and stronger than you'd think at his size.
Washington's original fourth-round pick was the last one dealt for Tunsil. Josephs' length should make him an effective back-up edge rusher as a rookie, with the possibility that he could be more in the future. Allen was a very good value in the sixth round as a north-south runner who can take over for Austin Ekeler and Chris Rodriguez. Don't be surprised if the steady Gulbin is the team's starting center by the end of his rookie season. The Commanders failed to add a cornerback in the draft despite losing multiple veterans in the spring and Trey Amos coming off injury."
Analysis:
"LB Sonny Styles, the seventh overall pick, is the headliner of a light class … and should be creating quite a few headlines for years into the future as the man in the middle and new face of this defense. A freakish athlete and multi-dimensional weapon who used to play safety, Styles' mind might ultimately be his greatest asset, especially given the likelihood cerebral stud Bobby Wagner likely won't return. Third-round WR Antonio Williams has a chance to crack the rotation early. And don't forget that GM Adam Peters spent a package of picks, including this year's second- and fourth-rounder, in 2025 in order to obtain Pro Bowl LT Laremy Tunsil … as much good as it did QB Jayden Daniels last season."
