Commanders Projected To Make Controversial Pick In Latest NFL Mock Draft

NFL free agency is starting to wind down, and the Washington Commanders and their fans should be thrilled with what they were able to accomplish through the open market.

They were able to raise the floor, building a sounder foundation with younger, more versatile pieces on defense, and helped shore up the offensive line for quarterback Jayden Daniels while adding some depth pieces at skill positions to go along with the expected starting tight end Chig Okonkwo.

Now that things have calmed down a bit in free agency, we are starting to turn a bit of our attention to what the Commanders will do in the 2026 NFL Draft, particularly when it comes to the seventh overall pick.

The Commanders and general manager Adam Peters may have tipped their hand at what direction they plan on going early in the first round, but according to NFL insider Daniel Jeremiah, they might take a rather unexpected route with their first pick.

Commanders Add More Pass Rush, Take Rueben Bain Jr. 7th Overall

"Washington was aggressive to fill needs at edge rusher in free agency," wrote Jeremiah. "Bain has the versatility to play from the edge on early downs and then slide inside in sub packages, making him a nice complement to Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson."

It would be a bit of a head scratcher for the Commanders to take Rueben Bain Jr. with the seventh overall pick, considering how their free agency unfolded and the amount of depth they have at the position currently. With Oweh and Chaisson now in the fold, the Commanders also signed Charles Omenihu and still have the likes of Dorance Armstrong, Deatrich Wise Jr., and Javontae Jean-Baptiste on the depth chart.

Bain Jr. is seen as a top talent in the draft and should demand immediate playing time, something he could or could not see in Washington, even if he were to be rotated inside and out.

Bain has been a talking point of contention since the NFL Combine due to his physical measurements, in particular his arm length, which measured in at 30 and 7/8". In the NFL, length is a high demand as it is equated with the ability to finish plays and shed blocks. Historically, edges with arms under 31" have struggled to become elite pass rushers with Dwight Freeney or Melvin Ingram being a couple guys who have bucked the trend of being seen as undersized.

With other needs like an elite offensive weapon to pair with Terry McLaurin, with guys like Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon still likely on the board, or improving the defense even further with someone like Caleb Downs in the secondary, the Commanders aren't likely to tab a question mark like Bain at this spot despite the elite production he was able to show in college with the University of Miami.

We have seen teams in the past draft players they don't necessarily need at the moment. For instance, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Emeka Egbuka in the last NFL Draft despite having a loaded wide receiver room, so it will be interesting to see what Adam Peters and the rest of the staff decide to do once they are on the clock.