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2026 Nfl Draft Commanders Land Top Edge Rusher In New Mock Draft

Bonisiwe Shabane
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2026 nfl draft commanders land top edge rusher in new mock draft

Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters has his hands full this offseason. One year after the Commanders went 12-5 in Peters's first year as GM, they sit at 3-7 heading into Week 11 and look like they'll be picking inside the top 10 of the 2026... Washington needs it. There are several holes on the roster that must be addressed. And the Commanders are already without second and fourth-round picks due to the Laremy Tunsil trade. The two most glaring needs for 2026 look like edge rusher and wide receiver.

Depending on how this season concludes, the Commanders could have their pick between a top pass rusher and receiver. In a new mock draft from Josh Edwards of CBS Sports, the Commanders land arguably the top player in next year's draft at No. 8 overall: Miami edge Rueben Bain Jr. Washington needs pass-rush help, and Rueben Bain fits the powerful profile Dan Quinn tends to favor. The Commanders did well to add veteran talent that could accelerate their timeline, but they got a bit too aggressive last offseason and over-leveraged their future. Now it's time to start replacing some of those veterans

The 6-foot-3, 275-pound Bain is currently ranked as Edwards' top-ranked prospect for 2026. However, three quarterbacks helped push Bain to Washington at No. 8 in this mock. In 31 career games at Miami, Bain has 98 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. Many believe Bain's best football is ahead of him and the chance to work with a coach like Dan Quinn could unlock his vast potential. The Washington Commanders are trending down after four straight losses, but that means the team is moving up in the NFL Draft order.

The Commanders were striving to be in the 20s or 30s for the first round of the draft, but the team could be in the top 10 if their record continues to deteriorate. That could put them in position to take Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr. "Bain Jr. is an explosive, violent edge rusher with rare power and bend, capable of turning the corner from wide alignments and overwhelming tackles with speed-to-power," CBS Sports contributor Ryan Wilson wrote. "He wins with a deep arsenal of pass-rush moves -- from bull rushes to inside counters -- and plays with exceptional contact balance and hand usage to shed blocks both as a rusher and... Relentlessly disruptive and highly explosive off the snap, Bain consistently collapses pockets, sets a firm edge, and makes impact plays from whistle to whistle."

READ MORE: Commanders get good news on linebacker ahead of Lions game The Washington Commanders didn't select an edge rusher during the 2025 NFL Draft. That was a contentious issue among the fanbase, but one analyst believes this could be Adam Peters' biggest priority when next year's selection event rolls around. Peters played his board rather than focusing too much on need. That leaves the Commanders short of dependable pass-rushers, so it'll be interesting to see what the general manager has up his sleeve before Week 1 rolls around. Although the 2025 draft has barely concluded, that hasn't stopped those in the media from speculating who could potentially enter first-round consideration in 2026.

The cycle never stops, not for writers or those working behind the scenes in Washington's front office. Jordan Reid from ESPN had the Commanders picking at No. 26 overall in his early 2026 mock draft, which is based on current Super Bowl odds. The up-and-coming analyst had Washington selecting Oregon pass-rusher Matayo Uiagalelei, who brings the explosiveness, size, and versatility that Dan Quinn typically looks for. A lot can (and will) happen before the 2026 draft. Prospects will rise or fall based on their college production and subsequent testing.

The Commanders' needs will change. The ever-changing landscape with NIL means prospects like Uiagalelei might not even come out at the first time of asking. There are still seven games remaining for the Washington Commanders in 2025. But with the season spiraling into irrelevancy when much more was expected, some sections of the fan base are already looking ahead to what promises to be a pivotal offseason for general manager Adam... The front-office leader has a significant amount of hard work ahead. Washington has roster holes everywhere you look.

Peters' gamble to run it back with most of the squad that achieved so much in 2024 has backfired. A disastrous run of luck on the injury front hasn't helped, but it's clear that this squad, as presently constructed, isn't capable of reaching the heights fans anticipated. Peters could have over $100 million to spend in free agency, and he'd be wise to use every cent before Year 3 of quarterback Jayden Daniels' rookie contract. The Commanders stood pat at the 2025 trade deadline, which was surprising to most, leaving Peters with only six selections in next year's draft to utilize. Not exactly ideal, but the former San Francisco 49ers executive will have to make the best out of a bad situation. Using the Pro Football Network simulator, we took a look at how the Commanders could approach their selections in our latest seven-round 2026 NFL mock draft.

It's no secret that the Washington Commanders need to get more explosive on the defensive edge. Only Dorance Armstrong Jr. is guaranteed to be back next season, but even the ascending defensive end is in the final year of his deal in 2026. It's no secret the Washington Commanders need an infusion of youth on defense, specifically, at edge rusher. Heading into last offseason, edge rusher was listed as a primary need for Washington. Instead of devoting significant resources to the position, Washington did not overspend in free agency on an edge rusher and followed its draft board in the 2025 NFL draft.

Ultimately, the Commanders signed future Hall of Famer Von Miller this summer. Washington didn't expect Miller to be a full-time player, but instead provide some help in obvious passing situations. Miller has played well, recording four sacks through seven games in a part-time role. Washington's top pass rusher, Dorance Armstrong, was lost for the season after injuring his knee in Sunday's loss to the Cowboys. Armstrong's 5.5 sacks lead the Commanders, and his injury is the latest blow to the position. Washington has already lost defensive ends Deatrich Wise and Javontae Jean-Baptiste for the season.

Currently 3-4, the Commanders are on pace to land a top-15 pick in the 2026 NFL draft. As we approach the midway point of the current NFL season, it's already mock draft season. Mike Renner of CBS recently unveiled his latest mock draft, which has Washington selecting at No. 13 overall. Renner's pick: Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey. The Washington Commanders and their fans are gearing up for their most anticipated season to date after taking the NFL world by storm a season ago by making it to the NFC Championship game...

Washington retooled their roster this offseason, nabbing key players on both sides of the ball through trades, free agency, and the NFL Draft in an attempt to strengthen their team to compete with their... The Commanders' draft might not have been all that jaw-dropping, but they added solid pieces depth-wise, with some having starting potential now or down the road in Josh Conerly Jr., Trey Amos, and Jaylin... Fans will be paying close attention to their rookies once training camp rolls around in mid-July, but it is never too early to look at how the Commanders will finish this season, and when... According to ESPN draft expert Matt Miller, the Commanders will, unfortunately, fall short of their dreams of winning the Super Bowl. Miller has Washington exiting the playoffs in the divisional round and entering the 2026 NFL Draft with the 25th overall pick, in which he believes they will bolster their secondary, taking promising young cornerback... Harris out of Penn State.

NFL Week 10 action featured plenty of surprising results that shook up the projected order of the 2026 NFL Draft. The New Orleans Saints entered the weekend in place for the No. 1 pick but thoroughly beat NFC South foe Carolina to drop from the top spot. The New York Jets got win No. 2 of the Aaron Glenn era over the Cleveland Browns, dropping down the order as well. Their neighbors, the New York Giants, squandered a lead and lost to the Chicago Bears to overtake them in the top three of the draft order.

The Giants fired Brian Daboll following the loss - making it more likely they'll stay near the top of the draft order. Those results leave Tennessee at the No. 1 pick after 10 weeks of NFL games. Tennessee already has a quarterback of the future and could be the first team to draft No. 1 overall in consecutive years since fellow AFC South franchise Jacksonville did so in 2021 and 2022. They'll likely take their top non-quarterback prospect in the class.

Who that player is is up for debate but most likely a defensive player. The 2025 NFL season is already more than halfway over. There are only a few weeks remaining in the college football regular season. What does that mean? It's time to look ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft.Yes, the NFL Draft might still be several months away, but the NFL season is already effectively over for many franchises. The one place where there will always be hope for every NFL team is the NFL Draft, so it's time to check in on some of the most talented players who could change your...

Which teams will be picking early? Could there be a trade up for the first overall pick this year? All those questions will be answered with this mock draft today. Enjoy! The best current odds to land the number one overall selection rest with the Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and the Las Vegas Raiders The three most likely players to be selected first overall via current betting odds are all quarterbacks: Ty Simpson (Alabama), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), and Dante Moore (Oregon) although Moore likely returns to school

The highest odds to go first overall for non-QBs are all defensive players: Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE, Miami), Arvell Reese (LB, Ohio State), and Keldric Faulk (EDGE, Auburn) The Tennessee Titans are falling apart and regardless of their remaining schedule likely end up with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. If that happens then QB needy teams like the Browns, Saints, Jets, and Raiders will be scrambling to get atop the 2026 NFL Draft board to select Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana). This class initially looked like it might be a good group at quarterback, but that's definitely not the case now. This 2026 NFL Draft class is now essentially just Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson, and then everyone else far below them.

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