B-
Washington Commanders
No fireworks, just a tidy B- for the Commanders.
by pj_doucette ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 6 picks
· 2 steals
· 3 reaches
The move everyone will second-guess came early. The Commanders reached some 50 spots for Eric O'Neill, and value like that does not grow back.
The tight end hole is the one line item this class does not answer. Wallace III at that cost is the sort of edge that compounds over a roster.
The roster is better shaped than it was, with wide receiver chief among the fixes. The trenches got the money picks, top to bottom.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but tight end.
Pick-by-Pick
No drama and no debate, Keldric Faulk went about where he belonged in pick 7. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Markel Bell at the Round 3 slot is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Value said wait; Nadame Tucker in slot 147 says they were not listening. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
The board had Kaleb Elarms-Orr higher than the 187th overall pick, and the linebacker fell to them anyway. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Eric O'Neill in pick No. 209, miles early. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Nice patience on Harrison Wallace III, who had no business lasting to No. 223. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.