Unlike the Washington Commanders, the Raiders have a need at the quarterback position. The same can be said for the Jets. The Commanders will likely pick after those teams, and here is their three-round 2026 NFL mock draft, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Commanders will enter Week 18 with a record of 4-12. And they currently slot in the No. 7 spot for the first round. They have needs at tight end, guard, edge rusher, linebacker, and defensive back.
Basically, there are only a few positions where the Commanders don’t need an upgrade. The problem is that they select only twice in the first 72 picks of the draft. Let’s see what direction Pro Football Focus took them.
No. 7 overall — Edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
If the first six picks fall this way, this selection makes a lot of sense for the Commanders. They have to improve their pass rush, or their 2026 season will likely look a whole lot like this year.
There are durability questions, but perhaps Bain has overcome them, according to nfldraftbuzz.com.
“The resurrection of Rueben Bain from injury casualty to draft's potential crown jewel represents everything evaluators dream about finding,” NFL Draft Buzz wrote. “His current film displays a defender operating on a different frequency than college competition. Watch him annihilate Notre Dame's protection schemes or turn USF's guards into tackling dummies when he slides inside. This isn't raw athleticism, hoping to develop. Bain already processes protection concepts and adjusts his attack angles like a seven-year veteran.”
And there is plenty of physicality from Bain. That’s something teams like the Commanders will focus on when they do their draft due diligence.
“The violence he generates through his hands creates immediate disruption that ripples through entire offensive structures, forcing coordinators to slide protection his way and compromise elsewhere,” NFL Draft Buzz wrote. “The trajectory here points toward immediate NFL impact with All-Pro potential lurking just beneath the surface.
“Teams selecting early aren't gambling on development. They're investing in a cornerstone defender whose floor already exceeds most edge rushers' ceilings. The medical evaluation will matter given his 2024 struggles. But assuming clean health, Bain profiles as the rare defender who can anchor a franchise's pass rush for the next decade while never leaving the field regardless of down and distance.”
If all of those positives convert to the NFL level, this is exactly the type of player the Commanders need on their often porous defense. There’s only so much Commanders head coach Dan Quinn can do with the current defensive talent. But we saw what a Quinn defense could be when it had a game-changing player like Micah Parsons. Not to compare Bain to Parsons, but the Commanders need an impact player in the quarterback-pressure department.
No. 71 overall — HB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
This pick doesn’t make much sense. The Commanders could use a boost in the backfield, but they’ve got far more serious issues. They need to stick to the defensive side of the ball.
And Price isn’t exactly a big-time name, according to profootballnetwork.com. He’s more of a guy who could emerge at the next level.
“Jadarian Price is often referred to as the “Robin” to Jeremiyah Love's “Batman” in the Notre Dame backfield, but make no mistake: Price is just as compelling as an NFL Draft prospect,” PFN wrote. “Price might be a bit smaller and leaner than Love, but his utility as a creator and an explosive vertical threat should translate early and often on Sundays.
“He has a great blend of vision, spatial instincts, foot speed, and cutting range, and he goes 0-to-100 in a blink when he has a runway to attack. Price still needs to prove himself at a greater volume as a receiving threat. But he has actionable value as a pass protector, and his athletic talents suggest he has more to show as a RAC weapon.”
It might even be a good idea for the Commanders to get another edge rusher at this spot. And Anthony Lucas of USC would likely be available. He’s a 6-foot-5, 272-pound monster. There are questions about his uneven production. But if the Commanders put him on the opposite side of the defense from Bain, they might change their defense overnight.
Another good choice at this spot would be defensive tackle Lee Hunter of Texas Tech. The 24-year-old might be too old to catch the eyes of some teams, but he is considered the real deal, according to profootballnetwork.com.
“He may fall outside some teams' age thresholds, but he nonetheless profiles as arguably the most complete nose tackle prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, and an instant impact interior defensive lineman,” PFN wrote. “Hunter has excellent natural leverage and mass to go along with good proportional length. He's an explosive, energized mover at his size who flashes devastating power output 1-on-1.”
What is the draft outlook for the Commanders?
It’s not great, unless the Commanders hit some later-round home runs. Outside of their first two picks, they have selections in the fifth, sixth (two picks), and seventh rounds.
It’s hard to imagine them getting impact players with those last four selections. So they'd better make two great choices in the early rounds.
