Commanders bolster secondary in latest Bucky Brooks' mock draft

The 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and every NFL team is attending pro days, hosting players for visits, and watching film to evaluate draft prospects to decide which player(s) they will draft. While the teams do that, the rest of us try to predict which player(s) each team will land on, and NFL analysts inundate our feeds with mock drafts and free agency happenings. NFL.

com analyst Bucky Brooks released his third mock draft of the season, and he predicts that the Washington Commanders will select safety Caleb Downs out of Ohio State with the No. 7 overall pick. The signing of Nick Cross won't prevent the Commanders from adding a versatile, high-IQ safety to the rotation to produce more splash plays from the secondary.

Cross played his first four seasons in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts and had his best season in 2025, but he's not a household name. He's a solid safety who can fill the position, but the Commanders will not pass on a talent like Caleb Downs. Downs can line up in multiple formats, although he is at his best closer to the line.

He's an extremely athletic player who puts 100% effort into every single snap he takes. He can sniff out a play like one of the best, and he's one of the few players in this draft to have big-game experience with two standout programs in Alabama and Ohio State. He strives to win, and, more importantly, he knows how.