Which day three selection from the 2026 NFL Draft could be most likely to make the Washington Commanders 53-man roster?
The Washington Commanders made several moves in the 2026 NFL Draft, and while the pair of top-100 selections are expected to step into impact roles, which day three picks are most likely to make the roster and become an impact? We take a look at all four picks.
C Matt Gulbin
Head coach Dan Quinn noted that the Michigan State and Wake Forest product will arrive as a center for the Commanders, the position of need heading into the draft. Nick Allegretti enters the rest of the offseason as the perceived favorite for the vacant position with Gulbin providing a chance to elevate the depth, but he also adds college experience at both guard spots, adding the chances for him to become a versatile piece for the Commanders' offensive line. Whether the rookie is able to beat out Allegretti will be the preseason question, but he enters summer as the most likely.
RB Kaytron Allen
The difference between Allen and Josephs wasn't much here, but the chance for Allen to carve out a role is the path. Bill Croskey-Merritt leads the way as the likely starter with Rachaad White elevating the dynamic of the room where he adds pass catching and pass blocking, but Allen can also chip in with pass blocking. He also arrives as a scheme fit, as head coach Dan Quinn noted, with a chance to round out the room, The question is how much of a role can he take away from Jerome Ford and Jeremy McNichols, who round out the running back room in 2026?
EDGE Joshua Josephs
Washington addressed the pass rush this offseason after re-signing multiple players and inking multiple potential impact options, including Odafe Oweh to elevate the depth. K'Lavon Chaisson is another critical signing and may be the most underrated addition on defense, but he also arrives on a one-year deal as do several of the players re-signed. That's what adds to the intrigue around Joseph, who struggled with production during his four seasons at Tennessee yet offers elite athletic treats as a 6-foot-3 edge rusher with 34-inch arms, ten inch hands and 82-inch wingspan. While Washington looks for some of the 'prove it' players to do exactly that in 2026, Josephs offers some long-term optimism at the position.
QB Athan Kaliakmanis
Maybe the most surprising of all six picks during the 2026 NFL Draft, Kaliakmanis drew consistent interest from the Commanders during the draft process. That materialized into the former Rutgers and Minnesota quarterback becoming Washington's final pick of the draft where he arrives with comparable measurable to Sam Hartman, the one who he likely competes against for the third quarterback spot. Kaliakmanis may have a leg up with his mobility and slight edge in arm strength to Hartman, and given Hartman was passed over for the starting job to close out the final two games of the 2025 season, this could materialize into an underrated storyline through the offseason into preseason. And with Mariota back again on another one year deal, maybe Kalaikmanis can provide enough confidence as a rookie to get a shot at taking the backup role in 2027.