Top defensive players for Commanders to watch during 2026 NFL Scouting Combine who could be No. 7 overall pick

The Commanders will have their eyes on the top defensive players in the 2026 NFL Draft, especially with the No. 7 overall pick.

Josh Taylor — Washington Commanders News Writer
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The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine officially kicks off this week, and the Washington Commanders have a busy week ahead.

General manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn will be speaking to the media on Tuesday, and then their attention will be focused on the top draft prospects. They’ll be meeting with prospects throughout the week, then watching them participate in drills.

The group of defenders is loaded at the combine this year, and the Commanders will have plenty to meet with, especially with the No. 7 overall pick under consideration.

Top defensive players at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine

The Commanders’ top options with the No. 7 overall pick will be a majority of defensive players, and all of them will be at the NFL Scouting Combine, which could help them narrow down their targets. Peters and staff will get to meet with prospects to better get to know them, and see their athletic traits in drills, starting with the defensive line and linebackers, then the defensive backs.

Top Defensive Line and Linebacker prospects

Starting with the defensive line, Arvell Reese, Rueben Bain Jr, and David Bailey will all be at the combine, and Reese will be participating in drills, which bodes well for his draft stock. He can show his freak athleticism as both an EDGE and a LB, and he would be the dream pick for the Commanders at No. 7 overall.

It’s unclear if Bailey or Bain will do everything at the combine, but seeing Bain’s measurements and their athletic scores will be important, especially with how the Commanders draft. Then the linebacker’s group will be headlined by Sonny Styles, and he can lock himself as a top-10 pick with his numbers after the combine. This group can clear up the Commander’s decision, or make it even harder than it already is.

Top Defensive Back prospects to watch

The most obvious player in the secondary who can be the Commanders’ pick at No. 7 overall is safety Caleb Downs, and they’ll have their first interactions with him at the combine. Downs is arguably the best overall player in the NFL Draft, but his positional value can hurt his landing spot.

Another player who has recently entered the chat is LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, who will be the top corner in the NFL Draft. He’s an elite prospect at a valuable position, and his stock will only increase when teams get their eyes on him in drills and see how fluid his movements are.

The Commanders will have a busy week, but this week will help narrow down their options with all six of their picks in the NFL Draft, especially the No. 7 overall pick, which they can’t mess up.

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