Commanders Land All-American & Jim Thorpe Award Finalist in Latest 2026 NFL Mock

The Washington Commanders' defense in 2026 was one of the worst units in the entire league. The staff understood this and went to work this offseason in an effort to curb the issues that ran rampant across the group just a season ago.

Adam Peters and staff got their edge rushers and man in the middle in Leo Chenal, but they also beefed up a secondary by adding Amik Robertson and Ahkello Witherspoon to try and fix the worst secondary in the NFL in 2025.

The additions will be nice for a team moving on from older vets and pairing them with young talent like Mike Sainristil and Trey Amos. However, they might not be done just yet when it comes to the position. According to NFL Draft expert Matt Miller of ESPN, the Commanders will take de facto CB1, LSU's Mansoor Delane, with the seventh overall pick.

Commanders Land Island Defender

"After a disappointing 5-12 season, the Commanders need to restock at core positions. With Marshon Lattimore and Jonathan Jones departing this offseason, cornerback is high on that list," Miller wrote. "Washington brought in Amik Robertson to help on the inside, but it needs an elite shutdown corner. Delane did that better than anyone in the nation last season, allowing only 10 completions for 119 yards while showing a penchant for timely tackles and big plays. Despite being targeted only 36 times, Delane picked off two passes to show off his playmaking skills."

LSU Tigers CB Mansoor Delan — LSU Tigers cornerback Mansoor Delane (4) Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Delane, who hails from the DMV area, has been pretty much stamped as a top ten pick in the NFL Draft and for good reason.

After three standout seasons with the Virginia Tech Hokies, Delane transferred to LSU for his final collegiate season, picking up right where he left off.

Delane dominated the South Eastern Conference (SEC), becoming a unanimous All-American for the Tigers – the first to do so since Greedy Williams in 2018. Delane plays with an innate attitude and is one of the top coverage corners at his position, while being a legit tackler in space as well.

Delane's 90.7 Pro Football Focus grade, which ranked fourth in the entire country in 2025, along with his staggering 31.3 passer rating when targeted, proves that he can be the guy on the boundary for the Commanders, something they haven't had in quite some time.

With most teams desperate for positions like quarterback, offensive line, and edge, Delane could fall right into the Commanders' lap at seven. The additions of Witherspoon and Robertson shouldn't sway the front office's decision-making process, especially in the first round, but the truth of the matter is that Washington will have a good problem on their hands as many of their needs on the roster will have plenty of available options when they come on the clock.