Commanders take Alabama star in way-too-early 2026 first round mock draft

The offseason has been generous for the Washington Commanders here in 2025, much similar to that of what the franchise was able to do this time last year.

A new stadium is seemingly in the works, and the Commanders have also had a successful offseason by acquiring talent on the field through free agency, trades, and the NFL Draft.

Entering the second season with the new regime, headed by head coach Dan Quinn and Rookie of the Year quarterback Jayden Daniels, they will be tasked with having a target on their back after reaching the heights they did last season.

There is no doubt that this new era of Commanders' football is up to the task, but it is intriguing to see where things can continue to go even if they aren't able to surpass their success from 2024.

Unfortunately for Commanders' fans, in Pro Football Focus' way-too-early 2026 NFL mock draft, they don't reach the heights they did from a year ago, as they would pick 24th overall in the first round. However, despite the hurt of not going deep in the playoffs, PFF does have Washington bolstering their edge position by selecting a freak athlete out of Alabama in LT Overton.

Oct 12, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman LT Overton (22) celebrates after recovering a South Carolina fumble at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated South Carolina 27-25. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images | Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

"Overton is one of the more versatile and well-rounded defensive linemen returning to college football," PFF wrote.

"After transferring to Alabama from Texas A&M, he posted an 81.7 PFF run-defense grade along with a 77.6 PFF pass-rush grade in 2024. He also led the Crimson Tide by a wide margin with 39 pressures and generated an 18% pass-rush win rate."

Overton began his career at Texas A&M as a highly touted defensive lineman, and while he performed decently, he couldn't really develop into the elite it seemed he could be. That was until he entered the transfer portal and headed for Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to join the Crimson Tide.

Overton immediately stepped in and was one of the best players on the field. His actual stats might fool you and make you think otherwise; however, as PFF pointed out, he drastically improved all his grades and other statistics, such as pressures and win rate, from his two seasons in College Station.

His physical traits and raw talent are good enough to draw anyone's eye, but that doesn't mean more is expected of Overton. One good season isn't going to cut it, and he will need to show that last year wasn't a fluke and perform at an even or higher level.

While he can be an important addition due to his versatility along the defensive line, Overton will need to clean up his technique, hand usage, and plan of attack if he wants to be able to compete against elite-level offensive linemen at the professional level.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2025 offseason.

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