Commanders Land Incredible Pass Rusher In Latest Nfl Mock Draft

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 17, 2025, 12:02 AM

commanders land incredible pass rusher in latest nfl 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 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. As the 2025 NFL draft nears and the free agency frenzy dies down, the Washington Commanders have to be pretty pleased with where they sit right now. There are still tweaks to be made, and players to add to make sure 2025 is better than 2024, but Adam Peters has done well so far this offseason. His next big task will be evaluating draft prospects to determine which players the Commanders should consider drafting.

After trading, signing, and releasing players, CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso released a new three-round mock draft that has the Commanders drafting an edge rusher and offensive tackle. More outside pass-rushing help for the Comannders with the bendy and long-armed Ezeiruaku. 64. Washington Commanders (via mock trade with Philadelphia): Emery Jones, OT, LSU The Commanders currently do not have a second or third-round draft pick because they were given away in the trades for Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil. Which is why Trapasso has them trading into a second-round pick so they can add some depth along the offensive line.

The Washington Commanders have a lot of needs to fill during the 2025 NFL Draft on both sides of the ball, but there is no "right" way to start. CBS Sports writer Kyle Stackpole recently conducted a mock draft where the team took Boston College defensive lineman Donovan Ezeiruaku, which improves Washington's front seven. READ MORE: Commanders formally meet with USC running back at NFL Combine "Obviously protecting Jayden Daniels is a priority, but Donovan Ezeiruaku's NFL combine performance made him too good to pass up here," Stackpole writes. "A consensus All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year (16.5 sacks and 21.0 tackles for loss), Ezeiruaku recorded the fastest three-cone and short-shuttle times among edge rushers. He gets to the quarterback and does so quickly, which will be imperative as the Commanders attempt to catch the Eagles."

The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team. Another draft is on the horizon, which means the Washington Commanders have another chance to improve their roster and get closer to competing for a championship. The Commanders put themselves among the best teams in the league last season, going from 4-13 in 2023 to earning an appearance in the NFC Championship in head coach Dan Quinn and general manager... Although their season ended against the Philadelphia Eagles, they now have a clear foundation for the future with former No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels in the backfield. Now, the Commanders are picking on the opposite end of the first round with the No.

29 overall selection. They got the most important piece last year with Daniels, but there are still several positions they need to address before the 2025 season begins. In anticipation of that selection, Commanders.com will highlight one mock draft from a draft expert each week to delve into how that player, or players, would fit with Washington. **This week, we're looking at a recent mock draft from CBS Sports' Garrett Podell,** who provided Washington with a talented, athletic edge rusher. Adam Peters made the aggressive moves needed to potentially keep the Washington Commanders in the Super Bowl hunt during the offseason. Unfortunately, things have not gone as anyone associated with the franchise expected.

It's been one disaster after another for the Commanders at the midseason point. Injuries have decimated the roster. Young players expected to progress haven't lived up to their billing. The NFL's oldest roster looks exactly that — a massive problem holding the team back right now. Peters opted to stand pat at the 2025 trade deadline. Fans were anticipating a couple of outgoings, given the Commanders' slow start this season.

But either no suitable interest arrived, or the offers weren't enough for the front-office leader to remove certain players from the equation. The Commanders will move forward with what they have over the second half of 2025. Even so, it's clear that Peters has an awful lot of hard work ahead when the next offseason arrives to get this ambitious project back on track. Using the Pro Football Network simulator, we took an early look at how Peters might approach his draft picks in a special seven-round midseason mock.

Commanders Land Incredible Pass Rusher In Latest Nfl Mock Draft

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