Commanders can take advantage of EDGE depth in 2026 NFL Draft to select best player available with No. 7 overall pick
The Commanders will have many EDGE options later in the NFL Draft that will allow them to take the best player available in the first round.
The Washington Commanders are in the process of building their big board of prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft before the NFL Combine and pro days, and they have many needs to fill.
General manager Adam Peters was on site of the 2026 Senior Bowl with other members of the Commanders’ scouting department and saw how deep the EDGE class is up close. With only six picks in the NFL Draft, the Commanders need to make sure they hit on as many as possible, especially with the No. 7 overall pick.
There’s a good chance both Rueben Bain Jr. from Miami and David Bailey from Texas Tech are off the board before the Commanders pick, so they might have to pivot and address the EDGE position later in the draft.
Commanders could miss on Rueben Bain Jr. and David Bailey
As we get closer to the draft in April, there’s a growing consensus that both Bain Jr. and Bailey are likely to go off the board before the Commanders pick at No. 7. This means the Commanders would have to take the best player available, like Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, or Makai Lemon.
Fans shouldn’t freak out about that idea, though, because the Commanders just need blue-chip prospects all over the roster who can actually contribute. Also, the EDGE class is deep as we saw at the Senior Bowl this past week, and taking one with the No. 71 overall pick or later isn’t out of the question.
The Commanders can get a starting EDGE with the No. 71 overall pick
My biggest takeaway from the Senor Bowl this week was that the Commanders are actually in a great spot with the No. 71 overall pick to take an EDGE after many standout performances. Gabe Jacas from Illinois dominated rep after rep and is one of the most underrated layers in the draft. He was very productive in college and has the pass-rushing tools to start in the NFL.
Jacas would be my dream pick for the Commanders at pick No. 71 if I could guarantee he would be there, but a dominating Senior Bowl might sneak him in the second round now.
Michigan’s Derrick Moore and Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton are two other prospects who caught my eye that could be there for the Commanders at pick No. 71. Both are high-motor EDGE rushers who can also stop the run at a consistent rate. The Commanders will have plenty of options with their third-round pick, but also later in the draft.
Nadame Tucker is a serious day three EDGE prospect
Western Michigan EDGE Nadame Tucker was one of my clear favorites at the Senior Bowl, who really shocked me by how dominant he was in reps. At 6-3, 250 pounds, Tucker used his strength to push offensive tackles back with ease, but also transitions to speed when he needs to. He has the perfect balance and knows when to use each tool.
His 2025 season was very productive with 14.5 sacks, 61 pressures, and 21 tackles for a loss, and it translated against the top draft prospects at the Senior Bowl from the bigger Power Four schools. PFF has Tucker as the No. 158 overall prospect in the draft, and I’d have no problem if the Commanders took him with the No. 145 pick in the fifth round.
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