Top prospect reveals Commanders have interest in him, and it could lead to one massive move during NFL Draft
The Commanders are bringing in one of the top defenders in the 2026 NFL Draft for a top-30 visit, but they can’t draft him unless they make one move.
The Washington Commanders are preparing to make one last push to improve their roster during the 2026 NFL Draft after an active free agency period.
The Commanders only have six picks to work with as of right now, and they have to pick wisely. General manager Adam Peters has already lined up multiple top-30 visits with polarizing prospects in the NFL Draft, but the latest one says they’re ready for anything, including a major move on draft night.
Commanders schedule top-30 visit with Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald
The Commanders are bringing in multiple prospects who could be their first-round selection, such as Mansoor Delane and Makai Lemon. They’re also looking to extend their horizons after scheduling a top-30 visit with CB Keionte Scott, who could go in the second round, and now DT Kayden McDonald, who could be the first DT off the board.
McDonald told Justin Melo with NFL Draft on SI that he has an upcoming top-30 visit scheduled with the Commanders, along with several other teams.
McDonald is arguably the top DT in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he’s projected to go anywhere in the second half of the first round. The Commanders pick at No. 7 overall, and don’t pick again until the No. 71 overall pick in the third round.
This means the Commanders are doing their homework on a possible trade-back scenario if the board falls a certain way, and if a team sends an offer they can’t refuse.
The Commanders are open to trading back, and potentially trading DT Daron Payne
The Commanders may have the opportunity to trade back and collect more picks if the right player starts to slide, and they should consider it since they lack a second-round pick, and only have two picks in the top-145 picks, and three of their picks are on day three.
McDonald is a guy they’re interested in, and they could land him later in the first half after they trade back, and DT Daron Payne could be traded on draft night as well if they’re able to land his replacement in a certain scenario. Payne has the highest salary cap hit on the roster in 2026 at $27.9 million, and his play has only declined. They have Javon Kinlaw, Johnny Newton, and Tim Settle behind him to help support a new starter.
McDonald and Payne are different defensive tackles, however, and he lines up as more of a NT, but he has the range to move out to 3-Tech as well. He’s an elite run stopper at 6-2, 326 pounds, and he led the country in run stops with 30, 16 tackles for loss or no gain, and the highest run defense grade on PFF at 91.2.
The Commanders have uncertainty at the DT position with this being Payne’s last season, so they’re doing their homework to possibly trade back to land his replacement, and maybe even trade Payne on draft night. McDonald could be a long-term starter for the Commanders for years to come.
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