Offensive weapon or defensive pillar? Commanders have decision to make

The Washington Commanders have options with the No. 7 pick in this year’s NFL draft, which begins with Round 1 on Thursday night.

The franchise faces a decision that likely results in huge upside for the team no matter which choice general manager Adam Peters makes: taking an impact defender or adding a new weapon for quarterback Jayden Daniels.

This year’s draft, while lacking in surefire franchise cornerstones, features a handful of top players who could land in any order on draft night. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is widely expected to join the Las Vegas Raiders with the first pick.

After that, it’s anybody’s guess.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the top five selections, Peters said his front office is preparing to add a rookie with the seventh pick, despite the perceived value of trading down.

The Commanders are limited this year with just six total picks. Washington has the No. 7 pick, a third-rounder, a fifth-round pick, two sixth-round selections and a seventh-rounder.

Peters isn’t biting on the trade speculation. He said last week that it’s “more likely than not” that the Commanders keep their first-round selection.

Here are a handful of options that the Commanders will likely consider at No. 7.

Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love: Love is widely considered one of the top all-around players in the draft. A Heisman finalist, the 20-year-old set college football on fire during his two seasons as a starter with the Fighting Irish.

He recorded 2,882 rushing yards in college with an astounding 6.7 yards per carry and 36 touchdowns on the ground.

The St. Louis native is a home-run hitter who started his pee-wee football career with a 70-yard touchdown on his first ever play. He’s been scoring ever since.

Love has the versatility to immediately improve any offense he joins, both as a runner and receiver out of the backfield. The only concern is whether a team in the top 10 is willing to select a running back, a position that has become a low priority for many franchises.

If he is selected that early in the draft, Love would immediately become one of the highest-paid runners in the league due to the rookie wage scale.

The Commanders, who hosted Love for a pre-draft visit, haven’t appeared worried about positional value.

“I think just finding the best player that can help your team the most and regardless of position,” Peters said. “You just get too deep in a positional value you kind of get lost in who’s going to really be able to help your team.”

Ohio State S Caleb Downs: The positional value debate extends to one of the draft’s defensive prospects, too. Downs was an immediate force at the college level, first with the vaunted Alabama defense before transferring to Ohio State.

He was a unanimous All-American in each of the last two seasons, developing a reputation as a cerebral defender who can stop a splash play before it develops. He was the mastermind of an Ohio State defense that won a national title after the 2024 season and made a return to the College Football Playoff last season.

But Downs is a safety, one of the lowest-paid positions on that side of the ball. Furthermore, he lacks explosive athleticism or the splash plays that teams would look for in a top-tier defensive back. The Georgia native recorded just six interceptions and 16 pass deflections across his three collegiate seasons.

However, according to scouts and analysts from around the league, Downs’ floor paints him as an every-down starter for years to come.

“Downs isn’t the biggest, fastest or most versatile player,” NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein wrote. “But he consistently puts his stamp on games.”

That stability could be particularly impactful for a Washington defense in the midst of a widespread overhaul.

“You want to try to find a person that impacts your team,” the general manager said. “And when you’re picking in the top 10, find someone that impacts your team right away and then for the long run.”

Ohio State WR Carnell Tate: The Commanders need help at wide receiver. Beyond Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin, Washington’s pass-catchers are an unproven group that features Jaylin Lane, Luke McCaffrey and the newly signed duo of Van Jefferson and Dyami Brown.

Tate would provide an immediate upgrade for new offensive coordinator David Blough.

The counting stats weren’t particularly impressive. Tate caught 121 passes for 1,872 yards with 14 touchdowns in three seasons, including two years as a starter. He spent most of his time working across the formation from teammate Jeremiah Smith, who is widely regarded as one of the top prospects in next year’s draft.

But he has all the tools. The 21-year-old is a fluid route runner with reliable hands, the ability to beat defenders down the field and elevate to win at the catch point.

“I expect him to be firmly in the race for Rookie of the Year conversations, just because of his flat-out, top-notch adjustments in the air to the football,” former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. said on his “89” podcast. “Give him cushion and he’ll eat you up.”

The second wide receiver position has been a nagging issue over the last two seasons. McLaurin has been a consistent target when he’s on the field. But beyond him, Daniels has had limited options to start his career.

A rash of injuries at the position only intensified fans’ concerns, as Daniels targeted undrafted rookie Jacoby Jones and midseason pick-ups like Treylon Burks. Tate would, at least in theory, ease those worries going forward.

Miami DE Rueben Bain: Bain is not the top edge rusher in this class. That honor belongs to Texas Tech’s David Bailey and Ohio State’s Arvell Reese, a pair of likely top-five picks.

But Bain is no slouch.

He’s a power rusher with the versatility to line up across the defensive line, an ability that projects well with Jones’ new scheme. He has a full complement of tools to beat offensive linemen and is a factor in run defense as well.

But the combine presented a tape measure heard around the NFL world. His arms measured in at a relatively unimpressive 30 7/8 inches.

The concern for scouts is simple: offensive tackles may be able to make first contact when Bain rushes. The 21-year-old does not share those concerns.

“Like Mike Tyson … he wasn’t the tallest guy. He wasn’t the longest-limbed guy,” Bain told NFL Network last month. “But when you felt him, you felt him. You kept your distance.”

The first night of the NFL draft begins at 8 p.m. on Thursday night in Pittsburgh. The second and third rounds follow on Friday evening, before the final four rounds on Saturday.