FlurrySports takes a look at three Washington Commanders draft targets in the 2026 NFL Draft, including wide receiver Carnell Tate.
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Out of all the teams in the first 10 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Washington Commanders may be the team with the most pressure to hit on their pick. While it is true that they are probably the best team on paper out of the bunch, they also only have one pick in the first two rounds. A possible bounce back of Jayden Daniels should yield positive results, but not if they whiff with the seventh overall pick.
For a team that found its way into the NFC Championship game just two seasons ago, the Commanders still have plenty of holes in their roster that they need to fill on both sides of the ball. Although none of the picks before them in the draft should be that big of a surprise, the NFL Draft always has a few moves made each year that absolutely nobody was expecting. With a crucial season ahead for the Commanders, this pick will certainly be telling as to what areas the front office thinks are the biggest issues moving forward. Here are the Washington Commanders draft targets for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Washington Commanders Draft Targets at No. 7
Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
From injury to a new coaching regime to just poor play surrounding him, there were countless reasons second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels took a major step back last season. His completion percentage, passer rating and QBR all tanked in the seven games he played, which is a big reason why the Commanders are picking this high to begin with. With receiver Deebo Samuel now a free agent, the only receiver of real note outside of Terry McLaurin is Luke McCaffrey. For Daniels to get anywhere near the level of play he was at in 2024, the Commanders need to seriously address the receiving corps.
The big issue with the Commanders right now is their aforementioned one pick in the first two rounds. If they don’t trade down, they need to absolutely hit at this position. The team does have issues all over the place on offense and defense, but most of those can be addressed in the later rounds of the draft. There are always some solid receivers that come out of the later rounds of the draft, but those are few and far between. Assuming the Commanders want to address this issue to support their franchise quarterback, they have to do it early, and Tate is the best option. Some may look at Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson as the better options long term, but seeing that Washington is closer to “win now” mode, Carnell Tate is the pick here if they go wide receiver.
Tate is bigger than Lemon and can play more than just the slot, while he also has much less concern about his durability than Tyson does. The Commanders need a stud at receiver, and Tate is the safest and best option for the Commanders at this time.
Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
The Washington Commanders had a big issue at safety coming into this offseason and partially remedied that situation by signing former Indianapolis Colts safety Nick Cross to a two-year deal. Unfortunately, the Commanders still need another safety badly, which is where Caleb Downs comes in. As one of the best pure defensive prospects over the last few years, Downs makes all the sense in the world for the Commanders.
Not only can Downs fill the other safety position and give Washington one of the best safety duos in the league, but he can also play some snaps as the nickel or possibly even a snap here or there as a linebacker or outside corner in a pinch as well. Downs can play all over the field and is about as pro-ready as they come. His draft stock is reminiscent of Kyle Hamilton back in 2022, when he fell to the Baltimore Ravens with the 14th pick due to teams ahead of them having other concerns. Downs at seventh would plug a lot of holes in Washington’s defense and would certainly let them relax a little bit, even without another pick until the third round.
Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
The Washington Commanders had plenty of secondary issues to address coming into this offseason and safety wasn’t the only position. The Commanders also need help at cornerback. Luckily for them, the best cornerback prospect in the draft will likely make it to their pick at seventh overall if they want to select him. LSU product Mansoor Delane is the best cornerback prospect in this draft and is slotted to be a difference maker wherever he goes on day one.
The most alluring part of Delane is not only that he’s a complete cornerback, but he has improved exponentially every year since he came to LSU. With great speed, anticipation and a knack for reading the quarterback, there is little doubt that Delane has all the tools to get drafted within the first 10 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft. The fact that the only real “knock” on his game is that he, at times, can be too “handsy” as every other college prospect is, tells you just how good he is. Although it’s tough to find great receivers that can start off the bat in the later rounds of the draft, it’s even harder to find cornerbacks that can do the same thing. With this pick holding a different weight due to the Commanders’ lack of early draft picks, getting a lockdown corner on day one may be a smart move for a team playing in a loaded NFC East division.
