Grading The Commanders’ 2026 Draft Class: Washington tries to make lemonade out of lemons, but the final product tastes funny
The Commanders came into the 2026 NFL Draft missing two rounds worth of valuable picks after trading away the second- and fourth-rounder last year for Laremy Tunsil. Adam Peters tried to do his best with what he had, but plenty of questions still remain.
There’s little doubt Sonny Styles’ career will ultimately define the Washington Commanders’ 2026 draft class.
The good news is he is considered one of the safest bets in the draft and should turn into one of the better linebackers in the league. The rest of the Commanders draft picks are a different story, however.
The Commanders didn’t have a ton to work with and while they did nab Styles and a potentially good player in Antonio Williams, there are a lot of questions that remain heading into the summer.
So, with that being said, let’s dive in and talk about the Commanders final draft grades for the 2026 class.
Commanders’ final draft grades for the 2026 class
Round 1, No. 7: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
Styles landed in the Commanders’ laps at No. 7 overall and he could easily turn out to be one of the draft’s best picks when it’s all said and done.
What’s there to dislike about this kid? He’s a former safety-turned linebacker, which keys his insane athletic profile and skillset. Styles has elite size, speed, movement ability, instincts, athleticism, and intelligence. You can also tell he’s a born leader that will further strengthen the culture Dan Quinn has built in the locker room.
Styles is the kind of prospect that can be a perennial Pro Bowler and he’s the ultimate chess piece that will boost the second level of Daronte Jones’ defense. You don’t want to put too many expectations on this kid, but there’s little reason he shouldn’t be in Defensive Rookie of the Year conversations toward the end of the 2026 season.
Grade: A+
Round 3, No. 71: Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson
Personally, I’m not a fan of this pick. The biggest positive is the value of taking Williams at 71, as most pundits had a second to early-third-round grade on the kid. At the same time however, said pundits could’ve been overvaluing just what Williams brings to the table.
Regardless, he’s a very good route-runner who knows how to get open from the slot position. He’s a very reliable target and dramatically improved his drop issues over the course of his career. Williams is shifty and elusive in the open field, which complements Terry McLaurin nicely.
However, Williams doesn’t have a lot of burst to his game (just 5.8 yards after the catch in 2025) and his play strength will be tested at the NFL level. There’s also the fact the Commanders need a big-bodied wideout in the locker room and that’s certainly not Williams, who is around 5-foot-11, 189 pounds. They also have slot options in Luke McCaffrey and Dyami Brown, which muddies the situation.
There’s potential here, but Williams doesn’t offer much “zing” right off the bat and that really hurts the overall grade.
Grade: C
Round 5, No. 147: Joshua Josephs, EDGE, Tennessee
Josephs is a long, explosive pass rusher that has a lot of potential to become a solid, designated pass rusher. He has no shame in sticking his nose in the run game and setting the edge, either.
He’s more likely to work out of a two-point stance in Daronte Jones’ defense, but he can put his hand in the dirt when it makes sense. He showed as much playing the LEO position at Tennessee.
Josephs’ biggest issues are he plays out of control and he’s more of a “tweener”, which could make it hard for him to carve out a consistent role. He also didn’t earn a bigger role in 2025 after teammate James Pearce left for the NFL.
It won’t be easy to crack the rotation, but the Commanders’ pass rush will be in very, very good shape if he does. Still, there’s a lot to improve, as well, and that holds the grade back just a bit.
Grade: B
Round 6, No. 187: Kaytron Allen, RB, Penn State
Like Williams, it’s more of the same when it comes to what Allen brings to the running back room.
He’s a well-built, powerful runner that was very productive in college. He ran for over 4,000 yards and recorded 43 total touchdowns in four seasons at Penn State. Most of that production came in a timeshare, too, which is pretty impressive.
Allen is best running inside in a power scheme. He’s a one-cut, downhill runner that’s also good in pass protection.
He’s not a home run threat, though, which is something the Commanders need. He also doesn’t have much to show in the receiving game, either. It’ll be interesting to see how Allen separates himself in order to make the roster.
Grade: C+
Round 6, No. 209: Matt Gulbin, C, Michigan State
The Commanders need someone to come in and challenge Nick Allegretti for the center job and Gulbin appears to be that guy after getting taken at No. 209.
But can a sixth-round rookie center really come in and make a case for a starting job during his first training camp? Especially one that’s as limited as Gulbin?
The key with Gulbin is he has plenty of starting experience at both guard positions and at center. However, the Commanders are pretty set at guard with Sam Cosmi and Chris Paul.
Either way, Gulbin is a smart player, but that only takes you so far in the NFL. He’ll really need to improve his technique if he wants to make an early impact. The good news is he’s coming off the best year of his career, so the arrow is pointing up.
Grade: C
Round 7, No. 223: Athan Kaliakmanis, QB Rutgers
Yes, it’s the final pick in the seventh round of a less-than-stellar draft. However, when considering the Commanders needed a cornerback or safety more than they did an EDGE, RB, or QB, it renders this pick as a total waste.
The Commanders would be way better off rolling the dice on a seventh-round corner or safety that actually has a chance to see the field in the next 3-4 years. As long as Jayden Daniels is healthy and productive, there’s zero chance Kaliakmanis ever plays meaningful snaps in Washington.
The good news is Kaliakmanis is coming off the best year of his career and the arrow is pointing up. However we won’t know if his accuracy and decision-making issues are officially resolved until he actually plays and obviously there shouldn’t be any time for that to come to fruition. At least, the Commanders are hoping so.
Grade: D
Final word
I gotta be frank: It would be impossible to like this draft class without Sonny Styles. And even then, he fell to the Commanders. They were more beneficiaries instead of making a calculated move, or anything like that. It’s not a total knock, at all, but it’s context worth considering.
And yes, the Commanders had one hand tied behind their back entering the draft. At the same time, however, taking players at already-filled positions when they still had glaring needs is something I’m having a lot of trouble wrapping my head around.
The Commanders needed a big-bodied wideout, but instead drafted a slot receiver when they already had two decent options in the slot. They then took a developmental EDGE when they already have a strong, three-man rotation. Next up was a physical running back when they needed a home threat. Finally, it was a quarterback that simply has no business being on the roster, right now.
It really seems like the Commanders are just stockpiling guys with similar traits at their respective positions instead of finding players that complement each other. As we saw with the Seahawks, guys who create individual mismatches due to unique skillsets are the best way to combat the modern NFL offense and the Commanders aren’t following that path.
If Styles falls flat for whatever reason, this could easily go down as the worst draft class of 2026 and it will certainly cost jobs in the future.
Final Grade: C
