Commanders go defense early in new 7-round NFL mock draft

The Washington Commanders are in a good position heading into next month’s 2026 NFL Draft. Picking No. 7 overall, a high-quality player at a position of need will fall to Washington.

Which one? Well, that’s the beauty of this draft. Some of the best talents are at non-premium positions, such as running back Jeremiyah Love, safety Caleb Downs and linebacker Sonny Styles.

The Commanders were busy in free agency, adding a dozen outside free agents and re-signing some of their own, such as quarterback Marcus Mariota. Washington’s busy free agency puts them in a good position for the draft. General manager Adam Peters doesn’t need to be desperate with the seventh overall pick.

Before free agency, the Commanders badly needed an edge rusher. However, they signed three in free agency, but only one is signed on a multi-year deal, leaving open the possibility that Washington could still select one in the first round. ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller recently released his first seven-round mock draft for 2026 and he has Washington going in a different direction in the first round.