Commanders 3-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Washington takes a blue-chip prospect on defense, and a new weapon for Jayden Daniels
The Commanders make the most of their two picks in the top-75 by selecting Caleb Downs to rebuild the defense, and Elijah Sarratt to be another weapon for Jayden Daniels.
The Washington Commanders are heading into their season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles, and then the most important offseason for general manager Adam Peters begins.
Peters will have a lot of crucial decisions to make on the roster and in free agency before heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. The Commanders only have six picks to work with, so Peters has to nail every single one of them.
2026 NFL mock drafts are firing up as the College Football Playoff continues and the NFL regular season comes to an end for a lot of teams, which includes the Commanders at 4-12. In my latest three-round mock draft, I have the Commanders staying put and taking the best players on the board.
Washington Commanders 3-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Round 1, Pick 7: Caleb Downs, Safety, Ohio State
The Commanders have needs across their roster, but the biggest need is blue-chip prospects to build around. They lack a lot of high-end talent that are difference-makers on both sides of the ball, but especially on defense. Caleb Downs is likely the best overall player in the draft, but he will be penalized because of the positional value impact we see every single draft cycle.
Teams don’t take safeties as high as they’re projected to go, but the Commanders won’t let Downs get past them at No. 7 overall. The Commanders desperately need a leader and a star on the defense, and Downs is as sure a draft prospect as it gets.
The Commanders have the worst safety room in the NFL. Quan Martin will be replaced, and Jeremy Reaves shouldn’t be anything more than a special teams player next season. Do the Commanders have bigger needs on the team? Possibly, but you can make an argument that a true safety is near the top with all of the missed tackles and busted coverages we’ve watched all season.
Downs would have a legit argument of being the Commanders’ best defender the day he puts on a helmet. The Commanders aren’t in a position to nitpick prospects based on needs, and they just need to draft really good players who can change the franchise.
Round 3, Pick 71: Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana
The Commanders need to add a weapon for Jayden Daniels this offseason after seeing what an offense without Terry McLaurin looks like. Elijah Sarratt becomes an instant impact player as a legit WR2 on the outside, who could take over for McLaurin in the future through his development.
Sarratt is a 6-2, 213-pound wide receiver who can high-point passes and use his athletic ability to adjust in mid-air.
He knows how to get leverage in man coverage, and he’s as reliable as they come. He has 39 first downs on 51 catches this season, and just three drops on 70 targets.
All Sarratt does is score, with 20 touchdowns in the last two seasons at Indiana, and 12 this season with Fernando Mendoza. Sarratt would be a real weapon for Daniels and the offense next season, with the ceiling of an excellent NFL wide receiver who plays like Tee Higgins.
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