Commanders 3-round mock draft: How Washington can erase a disastrous 2025

After a one-week reprieve (shout out, as always, to the New York Giants), the Washington Commanders were back to their losing ways on Christmas Day, falling 30-23 to the Dallas Cowboys despite a heroic offensive performance from third-string QB Josh Johnson. That's now nine defeats in their last 10 games for a team that was a win away from the Super Bowl last season, as injuries and adversity have revealed just how fragile this ecosystem really is around franchise QB Jayden Daniels.

Landing Daniels was a great step forward. But building a sustainable contender around him — one that won't break him physically sooner rather than later — is another matter entirely, one GM Adam Peters has proven incapable of so far. Patching holes with mediocre veterans is no longer a viable strategy; the Commanders need an influx of talent, and fast, starting with the 2026 NFL Draft. Here's how Peters can best navigate the board to get his team back on the right track.

Round 1, pick 7: EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech

The Commanders are old just about everywhere, but nowhere is that age more apparent than at edge — where no less than 36-year-old Von Miller is currently leading the team in sacks with a whopping six. Washington needs more juice up front, and they need it yesterday.

Bailey would provide just that, as probably the best pure pass-rusher in this draft class. He doesn't have the run defense of Rueben Bain Jr., or the insane physical upside of someone like Auburn's Keldric Faulk. But if you're looking for production, you've come to the right place: Bailey was second in FBS in sacks (13.5) and pressures (62) during the regular season while serving as the tip of the spear for an elite Red Raiders defense.

He's got a lightning quick first step, capable of beating just about any tackle off the line, and he pairs it with a deep bag of moves and countermoves. This Commanders defense needs to get to the quarterback more regularly, full stop. Bailey is the best bet to do just that.

Round 3, pick 71: WR Ja'Kobi Lane, USC

Washington gave its second-round pick in this year's draft to Houston in the Laremy Tunsil trade, a move that felt like a risky investment at the time and now seems downright disastrous given how far away this Commanders roster really is from the top of the NFC. So the team's next pick won't come until the third round, pick No. 71 overall.

There are plenty of directions one could go here; just about every level of the defense needs help, from linebacker to safety to corner. But after taking a star edge rusher in the top 10, let's pivot to the offense, and try to get Daniels some much-needed help in the receiver room.

Lane's production won't leap off the page; he posted 525 yards in 2024 and 745 yards this season. And he doesn't profile as a true No. 1 at the next level like his former Trojans teammate, Makai Lemon. But Washington already has one of those in Terry McLaurin. What Lane can do is give this group a needed jolt of size, speed and athleticism.

Lane isn't a technician, and he doesn't have a full route tree at his disposal. But he has a downright preposterous catch radius, capable of making highlight plays look routine and stretching a defense vertically. That makes him an ideal compliment for McLaurin and Deebo Samuel, a souped-up version of former Commanders WR Dyami Brown. Line him up out wide and let him work in single coverage as defenses pay attention to the other two wideouts on the field.