The Washington Commanders checked a lot of boxes in the first wave of free agency, bringing in 12 new free agents, re-signing 11 of their own and extending the contracts of three veterans. The roster got faster and younger, with the defense getting the biggest boost.
Washington finished last season with the league’s second-worst defensive EPA per play (plus-0.10), and ranked among the bottom 10 teams in quarterback pressure rate (32.5 percent), according to Next Gen Stats. So, it was obvious where the Commanders’ offseason priorities lay.
Washington’s revised defense is heavily focused on the pass rush, with four first-round picks up front (edge rushers Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson join holdover tackles Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw) and others who can boost the pass rush from multiple positions — and multiple levels. Defensive end Charles Omenihu has played both inside and outside on the line, linebacker Leo Chenal can add some juice on blitzes and safety Nick Cross finished second among safeties with 16 total pressures last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
General manager Adam Peters hit on nearly every position of need, providing either starter-level talent or depth and, for some, both. But there’s still a glaring hole on Washington’s roster: a top-tier offensive playmaker.
The Commanders added speed to the receiving corps by re-signing Dyami Brown, their 2021 third-round pick who played last season in Jacksonville. They got a physical tight end in Chig Okonkwo. And they brought in versatile backs to complement Jacory Croskey-Merritt, their up-and-coming rusher better known as “Bill.”
But they don’t have a proven top-tier talent to complement Terry McLaurin. They don’t have that second weapon in the pass game for whom defenses have to game plan, or that dynamic back who can force missed tackles on the run and create separation in the pass game.
Luckily for Peters, I’ve got the team covered in my latest seven-round mock draft:
First round (No. 7): Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Enter the playmaker (though I’m not totally convinced he’ll still be available when the Commanders are on the clock). Love is an explosive runner who can basically do it all: He can bounce off defenders and break away for a long run, or he can torch a corner with his speed on the perimeter. He also runs routes and catches the ball like a polished receiver, and is a willing blocker in pass protection.
Coach Dan Quinn moved on from offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and appointed David Blough as the Commanders’ new play caller in an effort to create more balance in the offense. That means Jayden Daniels will be under center more, and developing a consistent run game will be vital.
The last (and only) time Washington took a running back in the first round of the NFL’s modern draft era was 1967, when it selected Ray McDonald with the 13th pick. And the only time Peters has been a part of a team that took a running back in the first round was 2009, when the Broncos drafted Knowshon Moreno at No. 12. But Peters also knows firsthand the value of elite (and dynamic) running backs. He was the 49ers’ assistant GM when they traded for Christian McCaffrey in 2022, and he was a first-year GM when Saquon Barkley ran for three touchdowns to end Washington’s playoff run after the 2024 season.
Love has a chance to be another elite back in the league. He would provide an instant upgrade to Washington’s offense, with the potential to create a prolific rushing tandem with Croskey-Merritt and the versatility to be another weapon in the pass game alongside McLaurin.
But that’s if Love makes it out of the top five of the draft.
Trade! Washington sends its third-round pick (No. 71) to Indianapolis in exchange for a third-round pick (No. 78) and a fifth-round pick (No. 156).
Third round (No. 78): Dani Dennis-Sutton, edge, Penn State
The Commanders invested heavily in their pass rush in free agency, but that doesn’t preclude them from adding more through the draft. Chaisson, Omenihu, Deatrich Wise and Drake Jackson all signed one-year deals, and Dorance Armstrong, who is coming off an ACL injury, is in the last season of his contract. Washington needs to add more to this group.
Dennis-Sutton scored the highest Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of any edge rusher in this draft class (9.96 on a scale of 1-10), thanks to his 6-foot-6, 256-pound frame with 33.5-inch arms, and his 39.5-inch vertical and 4.63-second 40 at the NFL combine. The McDonogh School (Md.) product has the physical components to be a good pass rusher, and he was relatively productive over his last two seasons at Penn State, with 17 sacks and five forced fumbles.
But his pass rushing needs refinement, and his consistency is lacking. At worst, he’s a developmental pass rusher with tools (size, length, speed) that can’t be taught. At best, he’s a rotational piece who quickly develops into more for Washington.
Fifth round (No. 147): Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia
Former Georgia tight end Oscar Delp has impressed scouts with his speed and vertical leaping ability. (Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)
The Commanders signed Okonkwo to a three-year, $27 million deal in free agency, but no other pass-catching tight end (i.e. not including John Bates) on their roster has shown enough over the last two years to be guaranteed much of anything just yet.
Delp is another RAS star (9.82), although he did not test at the NFL combine because X-rays revealed a hairline fracture in his foot. He showed scouts plenty, though, at Georgia’s pro day last week. The 6-5, 245-pound tight end ran a 4.48-second 40 and recorded 38 inches on his vertical jump.
A four-star recruit out of Cumming, Ga., Delp turned down offers from Michigan and Clemson to enroll at Georgia early and contribute (albeit sparingly) to its national championship run during his rookie season. His career numbers at Georgia were underwhelming — he had a career-best 284 receiving yards in 2023 — but his upside offers plenty of intrigue.
Fifth round (No. 156, via Colts): Harold Perkins Jr., LB, LSU
The Commanders wanted to add speed, and they’ll get plenty of it with the extra selection from their earlier trade with the Colts in this mock draft. Perkins (6-1, 220 pounds) ran a 4.40-second 40 (some clocked him at 4.38 seconds) at LSU’s pro day on Monday.
But the New Orleans native offers more. He has the versatility to play all three levels of the defense, as an off-ball linebacker, a blitzer on the line and a STAR defensive back (essentially a hybrid linebacker/safety who can cover slot receivers and defend the run).
Perkins’ straight-line speed clearly translates on the field when he’s chasing down a quarterback or dropping in coverage. And in 43 career games at LSU, he had 35.5 tackles for loss, 17 sacks and eight forced fumbles. Perkins also made the SEC all-academic honor roll all four years at LSU and earned all-conference honors three times.
And since Peters signed one of Daniels’ Arizona State teammates in RB Rachaad White, he might as well add one from Daniels’ two seasons at LSU.
Sixth round (No. 187): Caleb Douglas, WR, Texas Tech
Size, speed and length. Douglas checks off all three, standing 6-3, 206 pounds with a 79-inch wingspan, a RAS of 9.54 and a 4.39-second 40 at the NFL combine. What Douglas lacks is consistency; he transferred to Texas Tech after two years at Florida and totaled 114 catches for 1,723 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in his two seasons with the Red Raiders. Douglas’ route running needs refinement and he needs to clean up the drops (he had seven in 2025), but he has the physical tools to be an asset in Washington.
Sixth round (No. 209, via 49ers): Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama
Perhaps you’re noticing a theme to this mock draft. Jackson is 6-1 and 194 pounds with track speed; as a standout at Mater Dei in 2021, he tied the California state record in the 100 meters with a time of 10.25 seconds.
Jackson played his first two college seasons at Southern California before transferring to Alabama, where he immediately stepped in as a starting corner. In 28 games (23 starts), he totaled 91 tackles, two picks and 10 passes defended for the Crimson Tide.
Jackson is built like a pro defensive back, but for his production to match his physical gifts, his fundamentals need more polish.
Seventh round (No. 223): Lorenzo Styles Jr., S, Ohio State
Lorenzo and his younger brother, Sonny, won the NFL combine, showing off their rare athleticism. Lorenzo ran a blazing 4.27-second 40, the second-fastest time this year and the fastest by a safety since at least 2003.
Lorenzo began his college career as a wide receiver at Notre Dame before transferring to Ohio State to play alongside his brother. It was there that he switched to defense in 2023. He voluntarily redshirted that season to make the transition, then played his final two years in Columbus on defense and special teams. In 28 games over his last two years, Styles totaled 46 tackles and six passes defended, plus a national championship.
“Being honest now, I definitely wanted to do more,” Styles said at the combine. “I feel like everything turned out the way it was supposed to be. Having an opportunity to go to Ohio State, I feel like it’s developed me, prepared me for the NFL. There’s going to be some hardships. I had to go in and work my way up, special teams. The situation I was in, I might not have done those things. So, I think it prepared me to have a long NFL career and perform.”
The upside with him is obvious; he has rare physical gifts, and the work ethic and determination any coach would love, perhaps especially Quinn. In the last two years, the Commanders have valued players who have proved themselves or overcome some sort of adversity, and they place a lot of significance on special teams, where Styles could earn a roster spot and be an immediate contributor.