When the Washington Commanders draft, they need to have success from start to finish. A free agency mistake complicated things. And here is the Commanders’ biggest need to address in the 2026 NFL Draft after failing to find it in free agency.
One problem the Commanders have is that they haven’t fully fixed the defense. They’ve made a few important moves. But they still could use more pass rushers, and the cornerback situation is problematic.
However, they also have a glaring need on the offensive side of the football. The receiving group is simply not good enough. Plus, the running back situation isn’t dynamic enough.
And when you weigh cornerback against wide receiver against running back, the answer comes up as …
Commanders’ biggest need in the draft is at wide receiver
Now, before we look at what the Commanders can do about getting a wide receiver in the draft, let’s consider what players they can’t let drift to another team.
If Jeremiyah Love is available at No. 7, the Commanders have to take him. He probably won’t be. It’s looking more like the Titans will grab Love at No. 4.
If Rueben Bain Jr. is on the board, the Commanders need to strongly consider that direction. Maybe they can luck into a productive No. 2 wide receiver in the third round.
It’s important to note that the Commanders still have Terry McLaurin. So they don’t need a WR1 from this draft. At least not initially. McLaurin may have only one or two years left as a No. 1 NFL wide receiver. So, if the Commanders pick a receiver in the first round, they’re trying to get a guy who can seamlessly move into the WR1 role over the next couple of years.
So let’s look at the Commanders’ options for getting the wide receiver help they need. We will go with Mel Kiper’s draft outlook as a basis for this approach. Even though Kiper has the Commanders picking linebacker Sonny Styles, his mock drafts are fluid like those of everybody else.
Commanders have two early WR targets
There are three, maybe four, receivers expected to go in the first round. However, only two are worthy of a high pick.
Those guys are Ohio State’s Carnell Tate and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson. In Kiper’s latest mock draft, Tate goes at No. 8 to the Saints.
“Tate brings a well-rounded scouting report, with solid route running and the ability to come down with tough catches thanks to his hands and body control,” Kiper wrote. “He'd be great opposite Chris Olave — yet another excellent receiver to come out of Ohio State in recent years.”
Tyson comes off the board to the Dolphins at No. 11.
“Tyson is almost always available to the football, making tough plays in tight coverage,” Kiper wrote. “If not for some durability concerns, Tyson would probably be the top receiver in the class. Miami would need him to contribute in a big way as a rookie.”
Of course, those picks mean both receivers would still be on the board when the Commanders pick. And if the Commanders have a strong preference between the two, they will have to pull the trigger with the No. 7 pick.
However, if it’s an either-or situation, they could trade back and still get one of the two.
It’s a little dicey, though. The Chiefs sit at No. 9 and need help at wide receiver. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Saints would grab Tate and the Chiefs follow with Tyson.
However, Kiper says the Chiefs would take Bain. But that means Bain would be on the board for the Commanders at No. 7.
So, it’s easy to see that the Commanders have to wait until the first six picks are made before they do anything. Unless they want to trade up to try to get Love. But they don’t have good draft capital to do that.
Perhaps if they were willing to burn a 2027 pick, they might be able to pull it off. However, the 2027 draft is expected to be loaded. It’s probably not wise to deal those picks.
What about a wild-card direction?
The Commanders could trade back and settle for Makai Lemon. Kiper likes the USC product.
“I’m a huge fan of Lemon, and he could go earlier than 24th,” Kiper wrote. “He has a slot receiver's build at 5-11 and 192 pounds, but he plays as if he's much bigger, with a fierce approach to the game.”
Still, the lack of size is an issue. And that brings questions about whether he could be a true WR1 in the future.
