Among the pressing needs Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters must address this offseason, perhaps none is more urgent than building a platoon of talented edge defenders.
It seems as if every team that made a deep run in the playoffs last season was capable of throwing waves of defensive ends and outside linebackers at opposing offenses. Two-way players who can both set the edge against the run and apply pass-rush pressure are essential. The Commanders do not have one.
If Peters is looking for a game-changing edge defender, recent history offers very clear guidance. Of the 20 highest-graded pass-rushing edges, according to Pro Football Focus, 12 of them were first-round draft selections, and six of those were chosen in the first three picks. Six others were Day 2 picks, leaving just two — Nick Herbig and Maxx Crosby — as Day 3 choices. Both of them came in round four.
Clearly, it seems that with pass-rushing edges, you get what you pay for. But here are four potential edge steals the Commanders could target later in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Edge rushing prospects the Commanders could steal in the 2026 NFL Draft
Jaishawn Barsham
Jaishawn Barsham began his college career at Maryland before transferring to Michigan in 2024. At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, he profiles to be an ideal outside linebacker if Daronte Jones does want to run more 3-4 base fronts. He may be somewhat undersized to play a traditional defensive end role, but his frame looks like he could add some weight.
Physically, he does resemble Herbig. He has good speed and agility. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he showed exceptional burst off the line with a 1.61-second 10-yard split in his 40-yard dash. But unlike the Pittsburgh Steelers star, who entered the league with a fully developed set of pass rush moves, Barsham still needs development.
The tradeoff is that he is already a skilled run defender. One-third of his tackles for Michigan during his senior year came behind the line of scrimmage. Barsham will not instantly transform a team’s pass rush, but he will be a valuable two-way player in a 3-4 system — something Washington sorely needs.
Nadame Tucker
Nadame Tucker was on a rocket in 2025. After three undistinguished seasons at Houston, he emerged as a wrecking ball for Western Michigan with 14.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss, leading the MAC conference.
Tucker also put up an excellent 10-yard split at the Combine. And lest anyone worry that his play at Western Michigan was inflated based on inferior competition, he carried his disruptive ability over to the Senior Bowl, where he continued to be a force against higher-profile players.
There are questions about Tucker. He is undersized to be an every-down edge and really profiles more as a pass-rushing specialist. But if that lack of classic height, weight, and arm length does knock him into the fifth round, he represents excellent value.
Quintayvious Hutchins
Even though Quintayvious Hutchins is commonly listed as an edge rusher, his only real future in the NFL comes as an outside linebacker, preferably in a 3-4 front. At 233 pounds, he is among the lightest edge rushers ever to appear at the Combine. He has solid long speed to chase down ball carriers, but is not going to overwhelm NFL offensive tackles right from the snap.
Hutchins is very reminiscent of his former Boston College teammate Donovan Ezeiruaku, another undersized edge who offsets his lack of elite size with relentless drive and smarts.
The prospect can play the run and can drop into coverage. Hutchins is a decent pass rusher and should improve with coaching. If he can carry some extra weight, he could play a role similar to the one Jacob Martin did for Washington last season.
George Gumbs Jr.
George Gumbs Jr. had a very good Combine. He entered as an unheralded defensive end who had five years of modest production at Northern Illinois and Florida, but he posted several impressive numbers in drills that should put him on the radar as a late-round developmental prospect.
Gumbs looks the part of an explosive edge. At 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, he carries his weight well. He boasts the superior arm length that teams covet. His 4.66-second 40-yard dash would have been an eye-opener a few years ago, but these days, it is merely par for the course.
However, his vertical leap and 3-cone drill — which are among the best predictors of pass-rushing ability — were excellent. Gumbs entered college as a tight end and didn’t begin playing defense until 2023. He is clearly still developing as a defender, but he offers a lot of very attractive tools to a team that can patiently develop his talent.