Several defensive prospects have been linked to the Washington Commanders with the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft
The 2025 college football season is officially complete after Indiana secured their first-ever national championship after defeating Miami (FL), 27-21, on Monday night, officially shifting the attention to the 2026 season. But that also means that attention shifts towards the offseason with several draft prospects wrapping up their college careers on Monday, giving the Washington Commanders one last chance to scout several potential draft targets including one who has been loosely linked to the organization through the fall.
That would be edge rusher Rueben Bain, who scouts have questioned whether he translates to an edge rusher at the next level. Still, one outlet projected the defending ACC Defensive Player of the Year to land with the Commanders, though outlets are far from on the same page about who the target should be with the seventh overall pick. In fact, only Texas Tech edge David Bailey drew repeat votes in updated mock drafts with several questions for the Commanders to answer on both sides of the ball.
Baltimore Sun: edge David Bailey, Texas Tech
Bleacher Report: LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
CBS Sports: safety Caleb Downs, Ohio State
FOX Sports: edge Rueben Bain, Miami (FL)
The Athletic: edge David Bailey, Texas Tech
Bailey, of course, has been viewed as a potential perfect fit in a defense that desperately needs to add youth and impact to its edge rushers in 2026, viewed as the top priority for a defense that finished among the league's worst in 2025. Outlets are split on just how quickly Bailey could come off the board, though, with some viewing him to go as high as third overall next April. Downs, however, would also fill a key need despite both Will Harris and Quan Martin under contract next season given the secondary proved to be a consistent liability through the 2025 season.
Still, the focus on the defensive side of the ball marks a key development after the Commanders were initially viewed as more likely to draft a wide receiver with both Carnell Tate from Ohio State and Jordyn Tyson from Arizona State routinely viewed as possible targets inside the top ten. Washington finished the 2025 regular season ranked among the worst teams in the NFL in total defense, scoring defense, passing defense and run defense as head coach Dan Quinn takes his defensive coordinator search into a second week with several options available to upgrade from Joe Whitt Jr.
Washington also enters next April's draft with just two picks across the first two days after dealing both a second and fourth round pick to the Houston Texans in the Laremy Tunsil trade last offseason, though general manager Adam Peters has four picks on day three including a pair of sixth round selections to work with. Whether Washington is able to trade back, or trade players in offseason stay-or-go decisions, to acquire more picks remains to be seen with reports viewing that possibility as unlikely due to a lack of interest in teams to trade up with still three months to go.