B+
Washington Commanders
The Commanders won the night they stopped Slaughter from sliding. Grade: B+.
by Maddmax ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 5 steals
· 1 reaches
If you want a masterclass in dealing, watch the Commanders, who turned every swap into a profit this weekend.
They banked enough surplus on Slaughter to cover a lot of smaller sins. They punted on edge rusher, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.
The Pride Jr. pick is the one the value grade keeps tripping over.
A competent weekend that does not make headlines and does not need to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 18th pick they get the heartbeat of the defense at a price that makes it sweeter. More want than need.
Eli Stowers at slot 71 is money in the bank, a tight end taken below his worth. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Taking Jake Slaughter in Round 3, Pick 18 is close to grand larceny; an offensive lineman that good had no business lasting this long. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Zakee Wheatley slipping to No. 97 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
By-the-book stuff, Tacario Davis at the Round 5 slot squarely in line with his ranking. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Toriano Pride Jr. well ahead of where he belonged. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Ephesians Prysock slid further than he should have, and the 196th overall pick is lovely value for the cornerback. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
No edge and no loss on Jeff Caldwell in the Round 7 slot; it is a wash and a sensible one. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.