One of the benefits of having a bad season, as the Washington Commanders do in 2025, is that they can acquire the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
For the second time in the past five seasons, the Commanders have a top-10 pick. The last time the team had a top-10 pick, they ended up selecting franchise star Jayden Daniels. This year, with the seventh pick, the team can go in a few different directions.
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Overall, the team just needs to get younger and faster. Defense may be the more pressing concern, especially in the secondary. With the draft just a few months away, let’s go ahead and pick out five prospects that the Commanders will likely prioritize.
Caleb Downs, DB, Ohio State
Caleb Downs has been one of the best safeties in the country over the past few seasons. In 2025, Towns totaled 68 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack and two interceptions while earning first-team All-America honors for the second consecutive season.
Towns is a physical player with great ball skills and also possesses one of the best football IQs in this class. Whoever the Commander’s next defensive coordinator is, Towns will fit into the system and be a game-changer from day one.
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Some places even view Towns as the best overall prospect in this class, so if he’s available at No. 7, commanders won’t have to think too long.
Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
The middle of the Commander’s defense leaves a lot to be desired in 2025. Avel Reese will inject much-needed young talent into the unit.
In 2025, Reese racked up 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks while earning first-team All-America honors for Ohio State. Reese is unique in that he is very good defensively as an off-ball defender, but he can also wreak havoc on the edge as a pass rusher. Reese is the kind of plug-and-play prospect who can transform a defense.
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Like his teammate Towns, Reese is considered one of the best overall players in the class and could easily move on before the seventh pick. However, if the linebacker is available, commanders are happy to take him.
David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech University
David Bailey was a quiet edge rusher at Stanford for three seasons before bursting onto the scene at Texas Tech in 2025. With the Red Raiders, David Bailey finished with 52 tackles, 19.5 sacks, and 14.5 sacks while earning first-team All-American honors.
Bailey leads all Division I players in sacks, and his combination of size and speed should allow him to dominate at the next level. Commanders desperately need to dominate on the edge, and there may be no better option than Bailey.
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Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
Like Bailey, Keldrick Faulk is an athletic freak who could be a game-changer. Unlike Bailey, though, Faulk doesn’t have sack numbers that jump off the page. As of 2025, the Auburn product has 29 total tackles, including five tackles for a loss and two sacks.
However, Faulk’s 6-foot-6, 270-inch frame could still make him a top option. The Charger is fast and has a motor that Dan Quinn likes. All told, Faulk could end up being a bargain at No. 7 overall.
Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
Jermaine McCoy is expected to be the first corner drafted in 2026. The Tennessee product missed the entire 2025 season, but is still expected to be the No. 1 pick thanks to his stellar performance in 2024.
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McCoy had 44 tackles, nine pass deflections and four interceptions for the Vols in 2024. The corner has the speed to keep up with elite receivers and is also very good at tracking the ball. The Commanders could use a young, talented corner, and McCoy is exactly that.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: 5 targets for first-round picks
