In a recent three-round mock draft, Cody Williams of FanSided has the Washington Commanders directly addressing the team’s biggest apparent weakness — the need to add young, aggressive playmakers on defense.
Though some early mocks have focused on providing quarterback Jayden Daniels with additional weapons, most analysts agree that general manager Adam Peters needs to focus on the defensive side of the ball.
In theory, the offense should make great strides based solely on the healthy return of Daniels. The defense, on the other hand, needs an infusion of talent at all three levels.
The Commanders do not have a second-round pick in the upcoming draft. Peters included it in the deal that brought Laremy Tunsil to town. But they do have picks toward the top of rounds one and three.
The No. 7 pick should yield an elite talent. The No. 71 overall selection should produce a prospect capable of contributing immediately and developing into a reliable starter over time.
Let’s take a quick look at the two players Williams has picked out for the Commanders.
Commanders add two quality defenders in FanSided's latest mock draft
Caleb Downs has become an increasingly popular projection for Washington at No. 7, and he was Williams' choice. Some scouts call him the best all-around prospect in the draft. He falls to seven because of the relative devaluation of the position he plays. Pass-rushing edges and elite cover corners tend to go higher in drafts than safeties.
The last time a safety was chosen in the top 10 picks was 2017 when the New York Jets took Jamal Adams. Only two true safeties have been first-round picks in the past five years.
In Williams’ draft, edge rusher David Bailey was still on the board when he picked Downs. The question for Peters concerns just how evolutionary the Ohio State prospect can be.
If he is merely the best safety in the 2026 class, that alone shouldn’t earn him a top-10 draft slot. But if he is truly the new breed of safety who can make plays all over the field, he might provide the perfect way for Peters to begin his defensive overhaul.
Williams had Peters begin addressing the need for better edge play in the third round with Dani Dennis-Sutton. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Owings Mills native has excellent size to play the edge in a 4-3 front. He was a productive player through 55 college games, totaling 23.5 sacks, 34.5 tackles for loss, and forcing seven fumbles against top-tier competition.
Dennis-Sutton even recorded a couple of interceptions at Penn State, which suggests he has the versatility to play a variety of roles in the NFL. He may need to, considering the scheme that new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones plans to implement.
The Commanders hope to get Dorance Armstrong Jr. back at full strength next season. After him, they are very thin on the edge.
Von Miller and Preston Smith won't have a role in 2026. Deatrich Wise Jr.’s future is very unclear. Washington’s most consistent edge rusher in 2026, Jacob Martin, is an undersized hybrid linebacker who also hits free agency next month. Javontae Jen-Baptiste and free agent Drake Jackson have potential but are entirely unproven.
Former Commanders player Logan Paulsen recently named Dennis-Sutton as someone to watch. It makes sense. He would be a very solid value in the third round.
The draft is still more than two months away, and players will move up and down boards as the process plays out. But Williams' early projections make sense given Washington’s desperate need to improve its defense.