The Washington Commanders aren't blessed with much high-end capital in the 2026 NFL Draft. General manager Adam Peters would do the trade for left tackle Laremy Tunsil all over again, but it doesn't make his life any easier during this year's selection event.
Hitting on the No. 7 overall selection is imperative. The Commanders don't have a second-rounder, so they could look to trade back. At the same time, Washington is desperate for game-changing weapons on the defensive side of the football. And there could be some intriguing candidates available for the taking.
It's a fascinating dynamic. Only one quarterback is expected to go in the top 10, which means it's a waiting game for the Commanders. Peters will have comprehensive evaluations on every possible option, but he'll also be hoping for a little bit of good fortune along the way.
Daniel Jeremiah has the Commanders striking gold with Arvell Reese in new mock draft
Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network provided precisely that in his second mock draft of the cycle. The respected evaluator had the Commanders picking Ohio State's do-it-all defender Arvell Reese, who is widely expected to be gone long before Washington goes on the clock.
"[Arvell] Reese provides Washington some explosiveness and versatility. He might be a tougher projection than some of the other pass rushers in this year’s draft, given that he split time between edge rusher and off-ball linebacker for the Buckeyes. Reese has the highest upside of the group, though."Daniel Jeremiah
How did Jeremiah get to this point? After the Las Vegas Raiders took Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, it went like this:
Team & Draft Position | Player & Position | College |
|---|---|---|
New York Jets (2) | David Bailey (EDGE) | Texas Tech |
Arizona Cardinals (3) | Francis Mauigoa (OL) | Miami |
Tennessee Titans (4) | Rueben Bain Jr. (DL) | Miami |
New York Giants (5) | Carnell Tate (WR) | Ohio State |
Cleveland Browns (6) | Spencer Fano (OT) | Utah |
Washington Commanders (7) | Arvell Reese (LB) | Ohio State |
While Caleb Downs would still be under strong consideration for the Commanders, the thought of drafting Reese might be too tempting to ignore. He's the edge/off-ball linebacker hybrid capable of providing the speed and violence that head coach Dan Quinn thinks this defense sorely lacks. If he is there for the taking, it might not take Washington too long to turn in its card.
Reese is instinctive, explosive, and everything in between. He's relentless in pursuit of the ball carrier, displaying the anticipation and burst to spot plays developing quickly. The tackling is hard-hitting, and when he gets the chance to bend around the edge in obvious pass-rushing situations, he's more than capable of wreaking havoc.
A lot has to go right for the Commanders to get a shot at Reese. As Jeremiah said, his ceiling is absolutely off the charts. Placing him with two mentors, such as Quinn and new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones, could put him on the fast track to superstardom in no time.
Whether the Commanders will get the chance to bring Reese into the building is another matter.