2026 NFL Draft: Three Pitfalls Adam Peters, Commanders Must Avoid

With the "Hail Raiser" era officially in full swing after last week's jersey reveal, there is an increased energy in the region, and the vibes in D.C. are at a five-year high. But as we sit just five days out from the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, that excitement is coupled with a healthy dose of anxiety. General Manager Adam Peters has a massive opportunity for the Washington Commanders at No. 7, but with only six total picks in the arsenal, the margin for error is razor-thin.

If we want to build a sustainable winner around Jayden Daniels, we can’t afford a "swing and a miss." Here are the three draft-night mistakes that would keep me up at night.

Look, I love positional value as much as the next salary-cap nerd, but sometimes you just have to take the best football player on the board. Jeremiyah Love isn't just a running back; he’s an explosive offensive weapon for a team that desperately lacks them.

Love finished 2025 with a staggering 93.1 PFF overall grade. He capped his junior season with 21 total touchdowns and over 1,600 scrimmage yards in 12 games, including 39 "explosive runs" of 10+ yards according to PFF. He’s a contact-balance freak, racking up 896 yards after contact (6th in FBS) and forcing 56 missed tackles.

This type of talent is exactly what Daniels needs heading into a pivotal third season. Although Daniels is super-talented, he will be under the tutelage of a new offensive coordinator, in a new system, with a new offensive center. Giving Daniels a run game to rely on would alleviate pressure and preserve his long-term health. It allows the team to get back to controlling time of possession and converting 3rd downs at the 48% rate we saw during his rookie campaign in 2025.

At 6’0" and 215 lbs, Love offers surprising 4.36 speed and is an effective receiver. His 1.83 yards per route run proves he’s a legitimate weapon in the passing game. He’s the elite sidekick that Daniels deserves.

We all know the math. Because of the Laremy Tunsil trade, Washington has the third-fewest picks in the NFL. The temptation to "accumulate assets" by trading down from No. 7 is real, but there’s a cliff in this class.

Most scouts agree there are only about 12-15 "True First Round" grades in this draft. If Peters trades back into the late 20s to grab an extra 3rd or 4th rounder, he’s effectively trading a Game Changer for two Rotational Players.

We’ve seen this movie before. You trade down, pick up "draft capital," and end up with three guys who are off the roster in four years. To me, the floor for elite talent drops off after Makai Lemon or Jordyn Tyson comes off the board. I don’t want a repeat of the 2022 draft, where the Ron Rivera-led Commanders traded back "only a few spots" to select Jahan Dotson. That slide was a "death row" of prospects—Jameson Williams, Jordan Davis, and Kyle Hamilton all came off the board while we moved back five spots.

Don't trade a dollar for four quarters—take the star at 7.

In a year where we only have six picks, we cannot afford to spend No. 7 on a player with question marks. Without a second-round pick, the team truly has one shot at an immediate starter. We can't rely on finding "diamonds in the rough" with late-round upside plays.

Two players come to mind when I think of high talent and red flags: Jermod McCoy, who was mocked to Washington in an intriguing trade, and Jordyn Tyson. They remind me of that Ana de Armas meme where she is absolutely gorgeous and staring right at you, but you know you're about to get in trouble.

McCoy had elite tape in 2024 (89.6 coverage grade), but he missed the entire 2025 season with an ACL tear, and recent reports of degenerative knee issues are terrifying. With Tyson, the talent is undeniable, but his injury history is a CVS receipt: ACL, MCL, collarbone, and hamstring issues.

Selecting either at No. 7 is a complete gamble. I only gamble at MGM National Harbor, not in the Commanders’ war room. As former Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome once said, “In the first round, you are always trying to hit doubles. You only get in trouble when you go for a homerun and miss.”

Adam Peters has been masterful at managing the cap and layering the team with talent heading into the draft. He is in a prime position to add elite blue-chip talent at seven without reaching for need. But Draft Night is where the rubber meets the road. Trust the preparation, trust the evaluation, and pull the trigger on the elite talent in front of you.

Let’s stick to the script: Draft the stars, protect the QB, and don't get too cute with the trade-back button.