Commanders 2026 NFL Draft guide: Number of picks, biggest needs, draft history, and more

The Washington Commanders’ 2026 NFL Draft guide is here to get you ready for the upcoming annual selection meeting. Ahead of this crucial week, let’s look at the Commanders’ draft picks, their biggest needs, potential targets, and their recent draft history.

The draft is in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this year. Round 1 kicks off on April 23. Rounds 2 and 3 follow on April 24. The festivities wrap up with Rounds 4-7 on April 25.

Commanders’ 2026 NFL Draft picks

Trades have pared down the Commanders’ list of draft picks. But they still have a first-round selection. There has been talk of general manager Adam Peters making a trade to move the Commanders back in the first round and secure more picks for later.

• Round 1, Pick 7
• Round 3, Pick 71
• Round 5, Pick 147
• Round 6, Pick 187
• Round 6, Pick 209
• Round 7, Pick 223

Commanders’ 2026 NFL Draft needs and targets

RB: Yes, the Commanders brought in a pair of running backs in free agency. Their room now has Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the RB1 spot. He’s backed up by Rachaad White, Jerome Ford, and Jeremy McNichols. But it’s clear to see that none of those is a proven game-changer.

If the Commanders get a chance to draft Notre Dame star running back Jeremiyah Love, it’s something they should strongly consider. He’s the type of explosive player in the backfield that the Commanders haven’t had in many years.

WR: This is where the Commanders might land. It’s an especially strong consideration if Love is off the board. The Commanders’ receiver room doesn’t look very impressive with Terry McLaurin, Luke McCaffrey, and Treylon Burks currently slated as the starters.

Two receivers could be on the Commanders’ radar in the first round: Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) and Carnell Tate (Ohio State). Tyson is considered a potential starter with time, according to NFL.com, despite not having blazing speed.

“He’s not a blazer but has enough speed to work down the field,” Lance Ziegler wrote. “Also, he has the ball skills and body control to win above the rim with timing on 50-50 throws.”

On the other hand, Tate projects as a Year 1 starter, according to NFL.com.

“(Tate) combines timing, body control, and catch radius to dominate air space and consistently lands on the winning side of contested catches,” Zierlein wrote. “Pass catching comes effortlessly with soft, strong hands, and he consistently works back on throws to keep ballhawks from hawking.”

EDGE: The Commanders tried to build their edge through free agency. But there’s room for one more. If they have to choose between a guy like Rueben Bain Jr. and one of the receivers, it may end up being a tough decision.

Bain could be of particular interest to the Commanders. He’s a potential plug-and-play starter from Week 1. Some think Bain won’t succeed based on his arm length. But Bain said he will prove them wrong, according to NFL.com.

“Like Mike Tyson … he wasn’t the tallest guy,” Bain said. “He wasn’t the longest-limbed guy. But when you felt him, you felt him. You kept your distance.”

Safety: This could be the tricky spot for the Commanders. If Caleb Downs is on the board, will they be able to go a different direction? There is some dispute about Downs providing an immediate impact.

However, Downs is a different dude, according to NFL.com

“Downs is an alpha who brings immense juice on each snap,” Zierlein wrote.

An NFL scouting director compared Downs to Budda Baker.

Recent draft history

2025: OT Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon (Round 1, Pick 29)
2024: QB Jayden Daniels, Arizona State (Round 1, Pick 2)
2023: CB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi St. (Round 1, Pick 16)
2022: WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State (Round 1, Pick 16)
2021: LB Jamin Davis, Kentucky (Round 1, Pick 19)

After three years of bad first-round picks, the Commanders finally got it right with Daniels. The jury is still out on the selection of Conerly. Some believe the Commanders got it right with him. If that’s true, the Commanders enter the 2026 draft with a two-year first-round winning streak.

Forbes turned out to be awful. The questions about his thin frame proved to be accurate in keeping him from being an impactful NFL player. But the Rams are trying to rebuild his career.

Dotson and Davis simply didn’t have the juice. Dotson will be on his third team with the Falcons in 2026. Davis, who is also well-traveled, is still trying to make it work with the Raiders.

This year’s draft is critical for the current Commanders organization. They simply must find a player in Round 1 who can contribute significantly throughout his rookie season.

And their third-round pick is extremely important. It will have to fill a position of need. It’s hard to see the Commanders getting a starter in Round 5, 6, or 7. So that third-round pick needs to hit just right. And it needs to be from one of the aforementioned positions.

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