Commanders Load Up Around Jayden Daniels In Aggressive 2026 Mock Draft

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 16, 2025, 10:34 PM

commanders load up around jayden daniels in aggressive 2026 mock draft

Led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Washington Commanders played in the NFC Championship game in 2024. Big things were expected in 2025, but injuries had other ideas. Now 3-6, the Commanders are on the outside looking in on the NFC playoff picture, and it's been a lost season for Daniels due to injuries, including a dislocated elbow last week. The biggest storyline of Washington's offseason was wide receiver Terry McLaurin's contract standoff. While McLaurin and the Commanders eventually settled on a three-year extension two weeks before the season opener, it took him missing OTAs, training camp and the preseason. Unsurprisingly, McLaurin injured his quad in Week 3, returned in Week 8, and will be out for his sixth game on Sunday when Washington hosts the Detroit Lions.

It's been that type of season for the Commanders. And Washington's lack of depth at wide receiver is more glaring than ever. While we are still months away from the 2026 NFL draft, the Commanders look like a contender for a top-10 pick, which could land them one of the draft's top receiver prospects. In a new mock draft for The Athletic, Nick Baumgardner has Washington selecting Arizona State wideout Jordyn Tyson with the No. 9 overall pick. The Commanders could go with an edge in Round 1, but Jayden Daniels still needs a big-time, future No.

1 receiver who can help set a tone for the rest of the offense. And Tyson is the most complete WR in this draft. He blocks, and wins both in the air and underneath. Tyson does everything — and does it well. The Washington Commanders are committing to building in the trenches and they proved that this offseason. The Commanders traded for former All-Pro tackle Laremy Tunsil and selected Josh Conerly Jr.

out of Oregon in the first round of the NFL Draft. CBS Sports writer Ryan Wilson thinks the Commanders will continue to add to the offensive line in the 2026 draft, taking Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu with the No. 24 overall pick. "Only his second year as the starting LT at Utah, but there was a reason the Utes felt comfortable enough moving Spencer Fano to the right side. Lomu has a long frame and plays with surprisingly good footwork. Not to oversell it, but if I squint, I see shades of Joe Alt because of the length and athleticism," Wilson wrote.

READ MORE: Everyone wants the rookie, but another Commanders RB could be Week 1 hero Lomu has a lot of potential and this year will be big for him to see how well he can perform. If he plays like he did in 2024, there's a case to be made for Lomu to be taken in the first round. Jayden Daniels carries the weight of an entire NFL franchise on his young shoulders. The Washington Commanders threw their weight behind the quarterback this offseason. Expect general manager Adam Peters to adopt a similar strategy when the 2026 offseason rolls around.

And one NFL Draft analyst thought reuniting Daniels with one of his old college teammates is an option to consider when the time comes. There is a long way to go and a lot of football ahead before attention turns to the 2026 NFL Draft. Prospects will rise and fall throughout the college campaign. Some will take advantage of the ongoing NIL benefits to stay with their respective programs longer than expected. There are several moving parts, but Peters and his exceptional scouting department will be keeping a close eye on developments. It's all guesswork from analysts at this early stage.

Ryan Wilson from CBS Sports thought explosive wide receiver Aaron Anderson could be in play for the Commanders in his early mock draft, especially considering his previously developed chemistry with Washington's prized possession. Anderson and Daniels spent the 2023 campaign working together at LSU. The dynamic signal-caller won the Heisman Trophy that year, but the freshman was a limited contributor. He gained just 12 receptions for 59 receiving yards as others took center stage. But there was a lot more to like about his performance levels last season with increased responsibilities on his shoulders. The Washington Commanders shocked the NFL world last season with how good they were, nearly making a Super Bowl run in Jayden Daniels’ rookie year.

They’ve made moves this offseason to show they’re serious about getting to Levi’s Stadium in February. Looking ahead, the latest College Football Network mock draft has them doubling down on offense. With Daniels’ mobility, the running back position becomes even more valuable, especially if the team wants to preserve his health for the long haul. He quickly proved he belongs in the upper tier of NFL quarterbacks, but he’ll only stay there if the Commanders continue to build smartly around him. Holding the 27th pick in the 2026 CSN mock draft, the Commanders select Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton. The Big Ten is no joke, and it’s hard to see a scenario where Singleton doesn’t hear his name called on Day 1.

The CSN Mock Draft notes Singleton could have been a Day 2 pick in 2025, but chose to return to school. Singleton stands 6-foot, 227 pounds and is heading into his fourth year at Penn State. As a freshman in 2022, he made a splash with 156 carries for 1,061 yards and 12 touchdowns. He didn’t show many rookie nerves either — his longest run that season was 87 yards. But 2023 was a step back. Despite getting 15 more carries, Singleton’s yardage dropped by nearly 300, finishing the season with just 752 yards.

His touchdowns dipped to eight, and his yards per carry dropped from 6.8 to 4.4. ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Jayden Daniels in the NFL draft got an offensive lineman to protect him for the foreseeable future and a receiver prospect to complement Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel, and the Washington Commanders... Not exactly Christmas in April, but for a team fresh off a trip to the NFC championship game that found its franchise quarterback in Daniels and made trade splashes for Samuel and left tackle... Washington took Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. later in the first round and Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos in the second at No.

61. Amos was under consideration at No. 29, too. “I didn’t think Conerly was going to be there when we picked, and I certainly didn’t think Amos was going to be there when we picked,” Peters said. "We feel like we got two players that were first-round quality, so we’re thrilled and I think the board fell to us pretty well.” Add fourth-round receiver Jaylin Lane out of Virginia Tech, sixth-round linebacker Kain Medrano out of UCLA and seventh-round running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt out of Arizona, and the Commanders can feel good about their offseason.

The Washington Commanders need wide receiver help this offseason. The Commanders have only two receivers currently under contract for 2025, but fortunately, one of those is Terry McLaurin. However, McLaurin and quarterback Jayden Daniels need more help, and that help could come via the 2025 NFL draft. The Commanders have been linked to multiple veterans who could be traded or released, such as Deebo Samuel and Cooper Kupp. Tee Higgins has been a popular pick for Washington in free agency, but the Bengals are expected to apply the franchise tag for a second consecutive year. The Commanders pick 29th in the upcoming draft.

That likely takes them out of the equation for the draft's top receivers. That doesn't mean they can't land an impact player—someone like Missouri's Luther Burden III. Most consider Burden a first-round prospect, and in the latest mock draft from Josh Edwards of CBS Sports, he lands with the Commanders. "Washington gets a dynamic yards-after-the-catch wide receiver for Jayden Daniels; pairing him with Terry McLaurin in the process." Burden is fun to watch. He looks like a running back with the ball in his hands.

The comparisons to Deebo Samuel are real. While there are concerns about Burden's route tree, he's a legit difference-maker with the ball in his hands. Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has shown he knows how to take advantage of these type of weapons. Led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Washington Commanders played in the NFC Championship game in 2024. Big things were expected in 2025, but injuries had other ideas. Now 3-6, the Commanders are on the outside looking in on the NFC playoff picture, and it's been a lost season for Daniels due to injuries, including a dislocated elbow last week.

The biggest storyline of Washington's offseason was wide receiver Terry McLaurin's contract standoff. While McLaurin and the Commanders eventually settled on a three-year extension two weeks before the season opener, it took him missing OTAs, training camp and the preseason. Unsurprisingly, McLaurin injured his quad in Week 3, returned in Week 8, and will be out for his sixth game on Sunday when Washington hosts the Detroit Lions. It's been that type of season for the Commanders. And Washington's lack of depth at wide receiver is more glaring than ever. While we are still months away from the 2026 NFL draft, the Commanders look like a contender for a top-10 pick, which could land them one of the draft's top receiver prospects.

In a new mock draft for The Athletic, Nick Baumgardner has Washington selecting Arizona State wideout Jordyn Tyson with the No. 9 overall pick. The Commanders could go with an edge in Round 1, but Jayden Daniels still needs a big-time, future No. 1 receiver who can help set a tone for the rest of the offense. And Tyson is the most complete WR in this draft. He blocks, and wins both in the air and underneath.

Tyson does everything — and does it well. Jayden Daniels might be able to recover from injury in time to play again for the Commanders this season. That does not mean Washington should allow their franchise quarterback back on the field during the 2025 campaign. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network has the report that Daniels will not need surgery to repair his injured elbow. That revelation opens up the door for the young signal-caller to return at some point before the end of the regular season. Clearly, Washington's chances of winning games go up when their No.

Commanders Load Up Around Jayden Daniels In Aggressive 2026 Mock Draft

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