Washington Commanders 2026 draft picks by the numbers – WTOP News

The Washington Commanders and the rest of the NFL take their shots at picking the right players this week in the annual draft of college prospects. General manager Adam Peters, in two drafts, has found four starters, Jayden Daniels, Mike Sainristill, Brandon Coleman, and Josh Conerly and one Pro Bowler in Daniels.

This year, barring trades, Washington will have six selections.

What kind of players are available at those picks (7, 71, 147, 187, 209, and 223)? Below is a look at the “best” and “bust” picks since 2016, as well as who Washington has taken there. For anyone wondering, the streak of not picking at Nos.14, 42, 57, 63 and 77 continues.

First Round (7)

Washington has done well when armed with a top 10 pick over the years, most recently selecting face of the franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels. An offensive lineman has been taken at this spot in four of the last five years.

Last Year: The New York Jets selected Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou, who started all 17 games last season. For a franchise that makes many it was a strong result.

Best: Josh Allen was taken by Buffalo in 2018. The former Wyoming quarterback was instrumental into turning the Bills into a contender this decade, making four Pro Bowls and capturing MVP honors during the 2024 season.

Bust: Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson was chosen by Las Vegas in 2023. While he has played in 50 games, he has made only seven starts while producing 12 sacks over three seasons.

Burgundy and Gold: Washington has picked seventh three times, selecting Baylor back Larry Isbell (never played for the team) in 1952, Wisconsin tight end Pat Richter in 1963 (99 catches over eight seasons where he mostly backed up Pro Bowler Jerry Smith) and Georgia defensive back Champ Bailey.

Unfortunately, Bailey’s best days as a Hall of Famer were in Denver after being traded for running back Clinton Portis.

Third Round (71)

Washington didn’t have a third-round pick last year, but Peters found a starter in the 2024 third round with offensive lineman Brandon Coleman.

Last Year: New Orleans took Texas defensive tackle Vernon Broughton, who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2.

Best: California defensive tackle Nnamdi Asomugha was picked by Baltimore in 2020 and he’s made two Pro Bowls while earning second-team All-Pro honors once.

Bust: In 2021, the New York Giants selected UCF defensive back Aaron Robinson, who made four starts over eleven games before making his last regular-season appearance in 2022.

Burgundy and Gold: Three picks with Tulane end Art Porter in 1945, never playing a down in the NFL. Missouri guard Gene Pepper in 1950, was a two-year starter and UCF linebacker Rick Hamilton appeared in 34 games over his four-year tenure with the team.

Fifth Round (147)

Just one choice in two years, with Washington safety Dominique Hampton playing one game in 2024 before being signed to Chicago’s practice squad in 2025.

Last Year: Oregon running back Jordan James was chosen by San Francisco. The former Duck played in three games for the Niners as a rookie.

Best: Seattle picked Maryland defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson in 2016 and he became a starter in two of his four years with the Seahawks before leaving via free agency to play for four other teams in his ten-year career.

Bust: Vosean Joseph was taken by Buffalo in 2019 and the former Florida linebacker dealt with injuries before being waived a year later while never appearing in a regular-season game for the Bills.

Burgundy and Gold: Very thin here, with neither Western Michigan tight end Allen Schau (1963) nor Nebraska offensive tackle Mark Doak (1975) ever appearing in a regular-season game for Washington.

Sixth Round (187)

Under Peters, Washington has just one sixth-rounder: UCLA linebacker Kain Medrano, who played in nine games as a rookie last fall.

Last Year: Houston picked Penn State safety Jaylen Reed, who tallied a fumble recovery while making one start in seven games.

Best: In a field that includes names like Michael Tyson (Seattle, 2017) and Ray-Ray McCloud (Buffalo, 2018), Michigan wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones was taken by Cleveland in 2020. The ex-Wolverine made 61 catches in 2022 but has dealt with injuries in the last few seasons.

Bust: In 2021, Atlanta chose Arizona State wideout Frank Darby, who posted just a pair of receptions while playing in 16 games over three years before washing out of the league.

Burgundy and Gold: Four players have combined to appear in 28 games for Washington. Illinois guard Marv Bershet (1952) started one season in D.C., Houston guard Melvin Jones (1980) played 11 games while departing right before the first Gibbs Super Bowl season, Ohio State wide receiver Evan Spencer (2015) played just one game in his lone season here and Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld (2016) would find his way onto rosters in Philadelphia and Detroit.

Sixth Round (209)

Washington has had a range of successes and failures recently in this round, from finding starting center Chase Roullier in 2017 to landing failed long-snapper Camaron Cheeseman in 2021.

Last Year: Philadelphia took Virginia Tech defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland. After being released, the former Hokie was signed by Cincinnati.

Best: Stanford kicker Joshua Karty was taken by the Los Angeles Rams in 2024 and has made 29 of 34 field goals, including 6-7 from 50+ yards.

Bust: Green Bay chose Indiana tackle Simon Stepaniak in 2020, and he spent his rookie season on the nonfootball injury list before being released the following year.

Burgundy and Gold: Four selections that include a Super Bowl quarterback. Only California’s Joe Kapp (1959) signed with the CFL and played for Calgary and BC before returning stateside to Minnesota, leading the Vikings to Super Bowl IV.

Neither Syracuse back Roger Robinson (1946) nor Texas Tech back Jim Turner (1953) played a down in the NFL, while Georgia State wide receiver Robert Davis (2017) played in seven games over three seasons while making a pair of receptions in Washington.

Seventh Round (223)

Don’t tell Washington there’s no value to be found this late, as just last year they chose Bill Croskey-Merritt 245th overall and the Arizona product led the team in rushing. There’s something about hyphens in this round under Peters, as in 2024 Notre Dame defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste was the selection (injuries limiting him to one start and 15 games played over two seasons).

Last Year: Seattle selected Miami running back Damien Martinez, who spent 2025 on Green Bay’s practice squad.

Best: Division II Wingate punter Ethan Evans was taken by the Los Angeles Rams in 2023, and the Rams make another late-round special teams pick matter. Evans has averaged 47.3 yards per punt over the last three years while also handling kickoffs.

Bust: Steve Tuikolovato was Tampa Bay’s pick in 2017 and the USC nose tackle spent three years on injured reserve before washing out of the league.

Burgundy and Gold: Three players who never saw a regular season down in the NFL. UCLA back Joe Marvin (1952), Gardner-Webb defensive tackle Ralph Warthen (1982) and Missouri defensive back Jeff Smith (1984) each providing minimal impact.

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