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The opening round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Washington Commanders entered 2026 with a mandate of sorts. The team, in keeping with its recent tradition of infusing speed and athleticism into the roster, attempted to continue that trend. The team left Pittsburgh with six picks. Yet, how many will make the team? Moreover, which ones will help quarterback Jayden Daniels this fall? The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala dives into the draft pool to discuss the team’s moves.

“They achieved most of those goals this offseason, signing more than two dozen free agents before finalizing a six-player draft class on Saturday. The star of the group is linebacker Sonny Styles, the former Ohio State standout taken at No. 7 overall. The other five rookies add to position groups that needed improvement.”

Styles, in an overarching sense, will help Daniels in the offense by leading the defense to a far better performance than last season. However, as a linebacker, he will not be on the field during the offense. As a result, diving into the specific offensive talent, you will see two players who could help Daniels as he attempts to win and secure that next contract.

Redundant Pick Casts Doubt on Peters’ Choice

With the No. 71 selection, the Commanders chose receiver Antonio Williams from Clemson. While Williams is a speedy pass catcher that possesses breakaway speed, Washington lingered too long in the same end of the talent pool. According to Pro Football Focus, of Williams’ 470 snaps last year, 416 were in the slot. The team looked stacked at slot wideout with Luke McCaffrey and Dyami Brown. Jhabvala believes that the rookie will play on the outside, as he stated.

“They already have multiple slot receivers on the roster and lack a big-bodied wideout. But the Commanders believe Williams is versatile enough to play inside and outside, citing his 2024 season as evidence. Williams was out wide for 43.0 percent of his pass snaps and deep for 22.3 of his targets that season.”

Playing Williams on the outside after spending most of his last year in college operating out of the slot could be a risky move. However, with his speed, Williams could take the top off the defense. However, will that take enough of Terry McLaurin’s coverage attention away?

GettyCommanders wide receiver Antonio Williams

Team Adds Bruiser to Complement Speed Aspect

Bringing in Rachaad White gave the Commanders a back with the ability to make one cut and dart down the field. Yet, drafting Penn State bruiser Kaytron Allen balances the backfield. Additionally, Jacory Croskey-Merritt blends the two styles. The trio gives Daniels the inclination to run less.

Under those circumstances, running less reduces his risk of another injury. The quarterback attempts to bulk up in the offseason. Still, he doesn’t need to take that sustained risk. Similarly, the trio could combine for 25-30 rushes. If they rush for at least four yards per game, those 100 yards will help move the chains. Sustaining drives and fatiguing the defense leads to deep throws that could ultimately win games.

GettyCommanders running back Kayton Allen

Allen, with 4.55 speed, is not quite a burner. However, his patience, burst, and forward lean generate positive yardage. The Commanders may have addressed their offensive draft needs in an uneven manner, but they are banking on mid-round picks to instantly contribute.