Washington Commanders NFL Mock Draft Roundup 4.0

The Commanders must be thinking about a long-term WR1 for third-year QB Jayden Daniels, with veteran receiver Terry McLaurin entering his age-31 season and missing seven games in 2025. Tate is the best wide receiver in this year's draft class.

I'd argue the floor of Love would be at No. 7, as this would be a home run move for the Commanders with their only pick of the first two rounds. While the team signed veterans Rachaad White and Jerome Ford in free agency, make no mistake that the RB room has more than enough room for Love. Seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt is Washington's only returning RB from 2025, when he recorded 805 rushing yards (team high) and just 68 receiving yards.

Love is the most dynamic offensive player in this class, running a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the combine and averaging 10.4 yards per catch in 2025. He would immediately alleviate pressure on quarterback Jayden Daniels, also adding value as a pass protector.

They would consider edge Reuben Bain Jr. in this spot if he were there, but they signed guys in free agency. They opt for the star runner who can be their go-to guy in the run game.

The Commanders still need a true No. 2 receiver to complement Terry McLaurin, and they could use a more explosive running back alongside Jacory "Bill" Croskey-Merritt. But struggles on defense, especially in the secondary, cost them games the past two seasons. Plus, GM Adam Peters addressed many holes in free agency, giving him the flexibility to choose the top talent available and not simply for positional need. Washington is revamping its defense under first-time coordinator and play caller Daronte Jones, who has spent most of his career coaching defensive backs. Downs would give him a potential star-in-the-making to mold. — Nicki Jhabvala

Positional value is the only reason that Downs is on the board here. He's arguably the best player in the draft and has been an elite defensive back prospect since his first season at Alabama. He's the "can't-miss" caliber player the Commanders could use in their secondary and has the skills to play deep safety and the slot in Dan Quinn's defense, which desperately needs to bounce back in 2026.

Washington did a lot of work in free agency. But they don't have a clear-cut No. 2 receiver behind veteran Terry McLaurin, who will be 31 this season and is coming off his least productive NFL campaign. A fellow Ohio Stater like McLaurin, Tate is the latest ready-made wideout product emerging from the Buckeyes' pipeline. His 51 catches in 2025 averaged 17.2 yards, nearly three more than former teammate Jeremiah Smith, and he should add another explosive element to an offense that already has QB Jayden Daniels ripping off plenty of big plays.

Washington was aggressive to fill needs at edge rusher in free agency. Bain has the versatility to play from the edge on early downs and then slide inside in sub packages, making him a nice complement to Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson.

The Commanders couldn't stop anyone last season, and linebacker Bobby Wagner appears to be headed elsewhere as a free agent. Bringing in Styles -- my No. 6 prospect regardless of position -- to team up with Frankie Luvu and new addition Leo Chenal makes some sense. After a 77-tackle season, Styles posted an incredible 43½-inch vertical jump at the combine, a glimpse into his explosion. Washington needs good ball players, and Styles is just that.

I could also see Washington going with a receiver here, perhaps Carnell Tate, Styles' teammate at Ohio State. The Commanders' offense is looking for more juice opposite top wideout Terry McLaurin.

There hasn't been a bigger riser following the combine than Styles. He was already a first-round pick, but he put on a show in Indianapolis a couple of weeks ago that might make him a top-10 pick. He has got a safety background, so he has a lot of athleticism in the open field. He is also a great leader.