Feb. 24, 2026, 6:16 a.m. ET

It’s mock draft season, and that means we get to tell you all about the prospective players that the Washington Commanders might draft.

The Commanders need help in several areas this offseason, but defensive help on the edge is a high priority for GM Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn. This is why it’s not a surprise that various analysts and outlets predict that the Commanders will take an edge rusher in the first round, which is exactly what CBS Sports predicted in their latest mock draft. They believe the Commanders will draft David Bailey from Texas Tech.

Bailey is a natural pass rusher who wins with speed off the edge and shows exceptional quickness in condensed spaces. He’s a dynamic player who can wreck a game and has slightly improved his run defense this season. His highest upside comes as a pure pass rusher, thanks to his explosive get-off and twitch off the edge. The Commanders’ pass rush last season was one of the worst in the league.

Other names we have seen mentioned for the Commanders in the first round include Arvell Reese, Caleb Downs, Carnell Tate, Rueben Bain Jr., and even Jeremiyah Love. Of the names being thrown around, the best fit for this team will boil down to Bailey and Bain, with the potential for Downs. In his latest list of top 50 draft prospects, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com has Bailey ranked No. 3.

What the Commanders will have to contend with is the six teams that pick before them. The Tennessee Titans are likely to take an edge rusher with the No. 4 overall pick, so that’s at least one team looking for something similar. The New York Jets have so many holes to fill, it’s hard to say where they’ll go with the No. 2 pick. The Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants are projected to take offensive players, although the Giants could snag Downs.

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.

We’ll see more and more mock drafts as the 2026 NFL Draft nears, and we’ll have a better idea of what the prospective players can do as Pro Days and the NFL Combine approach.