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NFL Draft Preview: David Bailey, Rueben Bain & Caleb Downs

A quick preview look at 3 draft prospects frequenly mocked to the Commanders

Free agency is up first in a little over a month’s time, but before jumping into free agent profiles, I’d just take a quick look at a few of the draft prospects regularly being linked to the Commanders.

So today, I thought I’d do a draft preview post to give some thoughts on the three players I’ve seen mocked to the Commanders most already, edge rushers David Bailey and Rueben Bain, and safety Caleb Downs. I’ll state here that these thoughts are merely first impressions from having only seen a few games of these players. By no means is this a final evaluation on these guys. As I watch more of them and we get through the pre-draft processes like the combine and pro days and interviews, we’ll learn a lot more about each prospect that will likely change these evaluations. But I thought it would still be fun to have a quick look at them as they’re being talked about a lot by Commanders fans online right now.

David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech

Bailey’s freakish athleticism and quickness stands out immediately when watching him. There won’t be many pass rushers in this draft class that can match his combination of size, speed and quickness. When he times the snap right, he has a strong get off and will threaten tackles for speed off the edge. If they don’t cut him off, he’ll attack that outside shoulder and bend the edge all day. He has the ability to dip and turn the corner sharply too, so if tackles get too high with their hands he can just go under them.

When tackles do manage to negate that speed, and NFL tackles will manage that more frequently than the college tackles he was up against, he has a nasty spin move to play off his speed rush. He has the ability to line up on either side of the line and spin both directions, so it’s not an easily predictable spin move either. But it is a very sharp one.

But there are some concerns with his game. In the games I’ve seen so far. As a rusher, he can miss a lot of hand fighting moves. He will throw out cross chops and swipes, but will frequently miss with them or not hit them strongly enough to impact the tackle. That being said, he’s often quick enough to make it work regardless.

While he can convert speed to power and generate some push, he didn’t appear to be a real powerful rusher, at least in the two games I’ve studied so far. It’s one thing taking the momentum from his quickness and exploding into the chest of a tackle with a strong two-handed punch, it’s another to try and bullrush a tackle off the snap, or use a long-arm rush. Those are things that would develop him into a more well-rounded rusher rather than relying purely on his quickness. But that quickness is something that can’t be taught and every rusher in the league would like to have.

He also needs to work on his rush discipline and handling chips. He receives a lot of extra attention because of his quickness which gives most college tackles a lot of problems. That meant opposing offenses would often put a tight end or running back to his side to chip him and help out. Too often those chips would delay him too much as he tried to work around them to avoid them instead of fighting through them, like we saw in the play above. There was more than one occasion where he’d move inside to avoid a chip and work directly into the path of a blitzing linebacker or safety behind him, cutting them off. He can’t allow that to happen.

Commanders.com

Logan Paulsen’s top 10 edge rush prospects of 2026

6. Cashius Howell

One thing: “He’s just fun to watch. He’s super instinctive and very natural. He kind of has this basketball-esque nature to how he plays. He’s kind of got a wide base. He hops around and does a really good job of when the tackle is overextended and playing off his inside foot and swiping his hands … He’s got great bend off the edge. He kind of rushes from what I would call an unorthodox stance. His hips are square to the ball as opposed to the line of scrimmage, so he’s taking this false step crossover, which works really well for him.”

4. Akeem Mesidor

One thing: “The film is excellent. The first time I watched the film, I thought he was Rueben Bain. He has a wide array of pass rush moves. He’s got power. He uses his hands well. He’s got a cross chop. He’s got a dip move. He understands the rush line. He’s fantastic, man. He is NFL ready, rocked and ready to go. He is awesome. The only thing I have in terms of negative feedback is I think he’s an old football player with a lot of miles on him, and just how long is he gonna be in your program?”

4 Senior Bowl standouts from Trevor Sikkema

Tyren Montgomery, WR, John Caroll

Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 190
2025 stats: 119 receptions, 1,528 yards, 15 TDs

Sikkema: I knew nothing about Tyren Montgomery heading into this event. He was a late add … From what I’ve been told, he hasn’t been playing football that long. He’s former basketball player, like a legit D-I basketball player, and it shows up. There are times when he doesn’t have the most diverse release package for an NFL receiver. He’s not always getting off the line super clean. His hand work could be better and a little more precise, but when that ball’s in the air and it’s time to go up and get it, full pun intended, he goes above the rim, and he can jump out of the gym. I’m so excited to see this guy out at the combine to see what his 40 time is, what the broad is, what the vertical is to measure just how explosive this guy is. Because that has absolutely shown up.

Commanders Roundtable

Mock drafts as split as ever on Commanders’ 2026 first round pick

Seven different picks by eight outlets on what the Washington Commanders should do with the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft

Connor Hughes, SNY: Clemson DL Peter Woods

Nick Baumgardner & Scott Dochterman, The Athletic: Texas Tech edge David Bailey

Danny Kelly, The Ringer: Texas Tech edge David Bailey

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: Auburn edge Keldrick Faulk

Ben Standig, Substack: Miami (FL) DL Rueben Bain Jr.

Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports: Clemson edge TJ Parker

PFF: Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese

Matt Miller, ESPN: Ohio State safety Caleb Downs

What’s also clear is the focus on updating the front seven with the expectation that head coach Dan Quinn also adds a specialist to the coaching staff to focus on the front seven in 2026. The lone exception to the latest round of projections is Matt Miller’s projection for the Commanders to select Caleb Downs with the seventh overall pick, who has been a popular pick through the second half of the season.

Both the cornerback and safety rooms will need major upgrade as the selection of Downs would give the Commanders a difference maker along the back line. It’s as much of a need for a Washington defense that needs major upgrades under first-year defensive coordinator Daronte Jones, who will put a premium on takeaways thanks to his proven track record of producing exactly that with the Minnesota Vikings.

Riggo’s Rag

5 delicate Commanders contracts suddenly on the clock after a dreadful season

Some tricky decisions await

Tyler Biadasz – Commanders C

The Washington Commanders’ offensive line was a rare positive area of the roster. Although the unit went through significant early upheaval, everyone acquitted themselves well, providing a solid base for new offensive coordinator David Blough to work with.

If left guard Chris Paul is extended, all five of Washington’s starting offensive linemen will be back in 2026. This continuity is essential and equally favorable. Offensive line coach Bobby Johnson may have been let go, but the players’ cohesion remains intact.

The glue that holds it all together is Tyler Biadasz. He’s been a rock at the center position over the last two seasons, developing strong pre-snap chemistry with Jayden Daniels while also providing solid, if unspectacular, protection.

Biadasz finished the campaign on injured reserve, but there are no real long-term concerns. The veteran lineman has one more year remaining on his deal, counting $10.98 million against the salary cap. What the Commanders need to figure out is whether the former Wisconsin standout is worthy of another extension ahead of time.

That is more debatable. Biadasz won’t be forcing the issue, so he’ll be more than happy to play out the last year before taking things further. And if he performs well over the early stages of the campaign, the Commanders could always extend him in-season.

Podcasts & videosDaronte Jones: Breaking Down the NEW DC + Super Bowl Preview | Podcast | Washington Commanders | NFLWashington Commanders Reveal New Spear Logo in mock draft graphicVOLTRON: Washington Commanders Push Jayden Daniels to THRIVE Outside His Comfort Zone and ELEVATENFC East links

NFL.com

Cowboys’ George Pickens knows his price tag ‘went up,’

His 93 receptions, 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdown catches were all career bests by sizable margins. Thus, the impending free-agent wide receiver readily admits he’d love to stay put with the Cowboys, but insists it’s not completely in his control.

“I would love to,” Pickens said Monday when asked if he’d like to remain with the team for the long term, via the team website’s Tommy Yarrish. “But when you can’t control it, you kind of just hope for the best.”

He put together an outstanding season and has risen to new heights and raised his price tag.

“I feel like, if anything, it went up,” he said. “But me personally, my value is just a playmaker type of guy. I feel like any team or wherever I play, I can be playing in Canada, I just want them to know that I’m definitely a playmaker.”

Blogging the Boys

Cowboys 2026 draft: EDGE David Bailey scouting report

David Bailey is a pass rusher first and foremost. His job is to get to the quarterback, and that’s what he does best. He’s quick off the snap, he closes fast, and he has a good mix of moves that helps him create pressure even when opponents know he’s coming. That’s why he piles up sacks, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles. It’s simple, he’s disruptive and he finishes plays.

Where he’s still a work in progress is the dirty work parts of playing on the edge every snap. He isn’t the biggest or longest edge defender for the NFL, so bigger tackles can sometimes lock onto him and push him around in the run game. He can also get a bit too aggressive chasing the big play and losing his lane, which can open running or scrambling lanes if he isn’t careful.

Overall, he looks like a player who can be a very good NFL pass rusher early, especially on obvious passing downs, and if he improves his strength and consistency against the run, he has a path to becoming a full-time starter who produces sacks year after year.

CONSENSUS OVERALL RANKING

8th
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services)

Big Blue View

Matt Nagy hired by Giants: Big Blue View writers have varied reactions

Just like everyone else, BBV contributors aren’t sure what to think

Anthony Del Genio ….

“Am I wrong, or is that an underwhelming choice?”

Chris Pflum …

“I am… Whelmed. I think I want to go back to his offense before [Justin] Fields to get an idea of what he’d do with Dart.

“He does have a rep as a great ‘culture’ guy, so I can see the appeal for Harbaugh.”

Anthony Del Genio ….

“I suppose on the plus side, he got more out of [Mitch] Trubisky than anyone else has, and it would have been more if not for the double doink. But I don’t have any impression of him as far as a distinct offensive philosophy. Osmosis from being with Reid maybe.”

David Hartman …

“The Chiefs’ offense has been pretty stagnant the last few years (despite the 2 SB wins). But some of that has been personnel-driven. It’s not an exciting pick but I’m not sure how much else was still out there.”

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ESPN

Falcons president Matt Ryan won’t commit to Penix as starter

Penix is recovering from surgery to repair a torn left ACL, which he suffered last November. He is expected to be out anywhere from nine to 12 months.

At Tuesday’s introductory news conference for new general manager Ian Cunningham, Ryan was asked if Penix will be the Falcons’ starter when he returns and Ryan would not say either way.

“Neither of us are the head coach of the football team, so we can’t answer your question on that,” Ryan said. “… I think as we start to get into this process and dive deeper into the roster — how it currently stands, where it’s going in the future — I think those are conversations that’ll be a part of it.

“Quarterback’s obviously very important, and we’re excited about Mike and what he’s doing with his rehab. I’ve been up at the facility the last three weeks, and Michael’s been in there attacking that and he’s in a good space right now, so we’re excited about where he is at. But certainly, a lot of discussions for us about the entire roster.”

Brandon Beane dismisses Bills’ critics: ‘F— the outside’

Beane, the Bills president of football operations and general manager, discussed Buffalo’s controversial decision to fire longtime coach Sean McDermott and replace him with Joe Brady in a recent interview with Go Long.

“F— the outside,” Beane told Go Long, which published an excerpt of the interview Monday. “It’s about the right selection for this team. And if we win, they’ll love it.”

A recent survey conducted by The Buffalo News showed that over 75% of the participants disagreed with the decision to fire McDermott. The Buffalo News ran another survey in which less than 38% agreed that Brady was the right hire for head coach.

Beane told Go Long that he was aware of the widespread criticism and acknowledged that his job security might depend on Brady’s success.

“It’s the same thing I said when I took Josh Allen,” Beane said. “If I’m wrong, the moving company will be at my house.

“So I understand, and I’m not going to have regret of choosing someone to appease the outside if I thought it should have been something different. If I’m wrong, I’ll f—ing take my job and f—ing go home.”

Front Office Sports

Scott Hanson: ‘They Didn’t Consult Me’ on Hated NFL RedZone Ads

With the injection of ads during the 2025 regular season, Hanson can no longer champion RedZone as “seven hours of commercial-free football.”

During an interview here with Ryan Glasspiegel and Baker Machado of Front Office Sports, the popular host put the blame for the ad creep squarely on NFL Network.

“First and foremost, they didn’t consult me. Your boy Uncle Scott was not responsible for commercials. Not even a little bit. Not consulted. The business folks handle the business side of things,” Hanson told FOS here on Radio Row.

“I was told we were going with commercials,” Hanson said. “I said, ‘OK, let’s handle this as best we can.’ What we ended up with, at the end of the season, was eight 15-second commercials that we spaced out about 45 minutes apart. So never two commercials back to back. And always in-between plays.”

[T]he good old days came to an end when the NFL added commercials during the 2025 season–sparking outrage among millions of viewers. Hanson was forced to alter his slogan to: “Seven hours of RedZone football stars now.”

“The NFL is a for-profit business,” Hanson noted. “I don’t believe that horse is going back into the barn.”

“Yes, there will be some 15-second advertisements that will pop in. People need to make their own determinations. But I’m still going to be there—and I’m still going to give you everything I’ve got. I hope people say, ‘You know what? Even if I don’t like it, I’m still going to hang with RedZone.’”

NFL Draft

NFL.com

Lance Zierlein 2026 NFL mock draft 1.0: Electric RB Jeremiyah Love cracks top 10; 49ers take tight end

Pick 6 – Cleveland Browns – Carnell Tate

Ohio State · WR · Junior

Whether the Browns’ quarterback is already in the building, in this draft class or currently on another roster, Tate will make that man’s job much easier.

Pick 7 – Washington Commanders – Keldric Faulk

Auburn · Edge · Junior

Faulk has impressive size, can play in odd or even fronts and is still filling out his frame. The upside trumps the unremarkable 2025 production.

Pick 8 – New Orleans Saints – Jeremiyah Love

Notre Dame · RB · Junior

Love instantly lifts a healthy portion of the workload from QB Tyler Shough‘s shoulders as a three-down home run hitter.

Pick 9 – Kansas City Chiefs – Rueben Bain Jr.

Miami · Edge · Junior

There are other needs, but Bain simply fits the mold of what Brett Veach and Andy Reid look for in a rugged QB hunter and two-way player off the edge.

Pick 10 – Cincinnati Bengals – Francis Mauigoa

Miami · OL · Junior

Protecting Joe Burrow must continue to be the priority, so the Bengals can wait on addressing the pass rush. In the hypothetical world of this mock, Mauigoa bumps inside to guard and shores up Cincy’s interior.

aBit o’Twitter

Josh Harris: Branding relaunch, “Commanders, leader of Warriors” and “tip of the spear”

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