Top NFL Draft analyst says Commanders shouldn’t overthink selection with No. 7 overall pick
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah says the Commanders need to make an obvious pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft because of Daronte Jones’ defense.
The Washington Commanders will be on the clock with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and it’s a pick they can’t afford to miss.
General manager Adam Peters only has six picks to work with in the draft, and a lot of roster hurdles to clear before then. The Commanders have 32 pending free agents to decide on over the next few weeks, which will help decide who they take in the NFL Draft.
One NFL Draft expert thinks the Commanders have one clear selection with the No. 7 overall pick, and they shouldn’t overthink it.
Daniel Jeremiah says the Commanders need to take an EDGE rusher with the No. 7 overall pick
The Commanders will have temptations with the No. 7 overall pick with both offensive and defensive prospects, depending on who falls. Ben Standig from “The Last Man Standig Podcast” asked NFL Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah who the Commanders should take in the first round, and he kept it very simple.
“I think it all starts, though, with guys who can win up front,” Jeremiah said. “So even with all the design of it [Daronte Jones’ defense], I still think you want guys who can win one-on-one as pass rushers, and I think that’s the biggest need for this team. So I would love for Rueben Bain to be there. I don’t think [David] Bailey or [Arvell] Reese will be there as we get closer, but we’ll see. I mean, if you land any of those three guys, I’d be elated. If you couldn’t pull one of those guys, then [Caleb] Downs is someone who can kind of create the chaos, or orchestrate the chaos, as someone who’s highly, highly intelligent.”
“You know, everybody’s going to have a need for that and use for that. But I think you know, as complex as you want to get, having guys that can win up front on the defensive line, when you get them those opportunities to rush one on one with the scheme is big. And then I think having, you know, smart guys, who can play the ball, and kind of orchestrate things, I think there’s value there as well. So they’re in a good spot. The good thing is, good news, bad news. Bad news is, you’ve got a lot of needs. The good news is you’re definitely going to fill one of them here.”
Who should the Commanders take with the No. 7 overall pick?
Of course, the pick will depend on who falls to the Commanders, and who they sign in free agency, but there’s no doubt that a top defensive prospect will be there. The defense doesn’t have a single star player to build around, unlike the offense.
Between Rueben Bain Jr, David Bailey, Arvell Reese, and Caleb Downs, one of those players should fall to the Commnaders at No. 7 overall, and should be the favorite to be the selection. It’ll be hard for the Commanders to get the pick wrong with many high-quality selections on the board, but the wrong pick would be a backbreaker and set the roster back even more for the future.
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