Suffice to say that the Washington Commanders are in dire need of depth at the linebacker position. Frankie Luvu and Jordan Magee were the only sure before Leo Chenal's arrival. He will help enormously, but even that won't be enough.
What’s more, there’s no one in the pipeline.
Also, the Commanders currently have five defensive backs signed to reserve/futures contracts. They do not have a single linebacker in that position. The players you might expect to find inked to futures deals — players like Ale Kaho and Kain Medrano — are slotted in as second-teamers due to the utter lack of depth.
Adam Peters may begin to rectify this problem with his first pick in the NFL Draft. There are two highly-rated second-level defenders projected to be chosen in the top 10. Both are Ohio State Buckeyes.
Whether they take a linebacker at No. 7 or not, Washington needs more than one new face. This becomes even more essential if new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones wants to run a 3-4 base.
Luvu and Magee would probably function very well on the inside in such a setup, and so will Chenal. Even so, Jones will need athletic players who can set the edge, rush the passer, and most importantly, cover in space, if such a scheme is going to work.
With that in mind, here are three prospects who could solve this need on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Day 3 draft gems who could bolster the Commanders' defensive depth immediately
Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
Kyle Louis Louis plays like a hybrid linebacker-safety. He lacks the blazing speed of someone like Nick Emmanwori or the jarring hitting of Kyle Hamilton, but you can see traces of those stars in his play. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he turned in a very respectable 4.53 seconds in the 40-yard dash. But given his 6-foot-0, 220-pound frame, that was more or less expected.
Where he really stood out was in the short shuttle, where his 4.26-second time matched that of Sonny Styles. That drill measures how quickly a player can shift direction while maintaining balance and speed, and it is one of the most important metrics for off-ball linebackers. Louis also has a reputation as an insanely hard worker who devotes a great deal of time to studying film.
His speed and quickness — he also posted an excellent 3-cone drill time at the Combine — make him a dangerous occasional blitzer as well, but Louis will earn his stripes as a coverage linebacker.
Justin Jefferson, Alabama
Justin Jefferson (no, not that one) is a 6-foot-0, 223-pound linebacker who played 41 games for the Alabama Crimson Tide over the past three seasons and accounted for 149 tackles. He began as a special teams demon, then took over a regular spot on the defense in 2024.
Like Louis, Jefferson is on the small side, but makes up for it with excellent speed. He is also a solid tackler who moves very well in the open field.
Jefferson has played more in the box, but his athleticism allows him to move outside. His floor is a very solid special-teams contributor. His ceiling would be surpassing Medrano — another athletically gifted linebacker who needs development — and turn into a reliable rotational player.
Karson Sharar, Iowa
Karson Sharar has a little more size than the two prospects already mentioned. He still manages to carry his 6-foot-2, 231-pound frame nimbly enough to run a 4.56-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.
He also put up exceptional burst numbers. That is usually more important for linemen than for linebackers, but it does suggest Sharar could be useful as a more traditional end in pass-rushing situations.
Sharar doesn’t have the experience that some other prospects have. Though he was with the Iowa Hawkeyes for five full seasons, he played a major role on defense only in 2025.
There is a decent chance he does not hear his name called at the draft. If so, he would be a very smart priority undrafted free-agent signing. Sharar has shown the ability to work his way up a depth chart. He proved at the Combine that he has plenty of athleticism to go along with the work ethic.