The Commanders add much-needed speed to help Jayden Daniels and defense in latest 3-round 2026 NFL mock draft
The Commanders make the most of their limited picks in the draft.
The Washington Commanders are on their bye week with a 3-8 record, which makes for the perfect time to look ahead at the offseason with no game to worry about.
I’ve already posted my first Commanders 7-round 2026 NFL mock draft, which has general manager Adam Peters making the most of every pick. The draft experts at A to Z Sports released their own collaboration 3-round mock draft, which has the Commanders going a different direction.
The Commanders only have two picks in the top 100 of the draft, so nailing those picks is critical this offseason, and the latest mock draft has them adding speed to both sides of the ball.
Round: 1, Pick: 7 – David Bailey, ED, Texas Tech
“David Bailey isn’t going to be for everyone, but he’s an extremely explosive and bendy pass rusher with a ton of upside on obvious passing downs. That is incredibly valuable in today’s NFL, even if his impact as a run defender is mediocre. The Commanders could use some more pass rush in a big way.” – Ryan Roberts, A to Z Sports Notre Dame
Pass rushers can be hit or miss in the first round, but production is key, and David Bailey is one of the most productive players in the draft. Bailey has 12.5 sacks and an incredible 71 pressures as one of the key players on Texas Tech’s scary defense.
He has insane speed and bends off the edge at 6-3, 250 pounds, which the Commanders are lacking right now. Bailey adds power after he gets around blockers and gets in the backfield with ease. He can become an elite player if he improves on stopping the run, but this is still a great pick for the Commanders, who need many changes on the defense.
Round: 3, Pick: 71 – Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
The Commanders need another playmaker on offense, and somebody who can help quarterback Jayden Danels. If they decide to pass on a wide receiver in the first round, then taking Zachariah Branch in the third is an incredible value.
Branch will be one of the fastest players in the draft, and would add an instant boost to the Commanders’ offense. He’s 5-10, 180 pounds, and moves like a blur on the screen when he gets the ball in his hands.
Georgia uses him a lot on screens because he can make small plays into massive gains, and I’d love to see him get more opportunities downfield, but that’s out of his control. Despite his smaller size, Branch still has a 62.5% contested catch rate and a drop rate of only 3.3%.
He’s a matchup nightmare in man coverage with an 86.2 man-coverage grade as well. The Commanders need an explosive playmaker, and Branch’s eight yards after catch are needed. Let him put defenders on skates in the open field, and even on special teams as a returner.
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