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NFL.com
2026 NFL Draft: Ten rookies in position to succeed in Year 1 and beyond
I’ve gathered 10 such rookies, trying to focus on players who are A) ready to produce right away, B) primed to meet an immediate team need, C) entering a favorable developmental situation or D) all of the above. Organizational stability and competitiveness factored in, as well.
Rank 1 – Sonny Styles – Ohio State · LB Washington Commanders We already know Styles has the kind of athletic profile that gets folks googly-eyed. Now picture him using his
superpowers to flow to the ball as the dynamic young centerpiece of [Washington]’s fortified defense. When Quinn says he “can’t wait to coach” Styles, it might sound like boilerplate offseason hype, but in Quinn’s case, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was actually counting how many sleeps are left before he gets to work his prized new pupil into a defense that finished 31st in EPA per play last season, per Next Gen Stats.
Last season, Carson Schwesinger stepped into the middle of a stacked Browns defense and romped to the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, stockpiling tackles (146) while making a meaningful contribution to the pass rush (2.5 sacks, 20 pressures) and chipping in a pair of picks. Styles looks ready to do some similar stat-stuffing in his first pro season. OK, so he won’t have anyone of Myles Garrett’s level in front of him, but he’ll still get to work with plenty of veteran talent and a proven defensive mind in head coach Dan Quinn [and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones]. And, of course, the Commanders are expected to actually compete, with Jayden Daniels’ offense doing plenty of the heavy lifting, if everything goes according to plan.
Last Man Standig (paywall)
Inside the stadium wish list: Not the fans; not the architects — Commanders players point to what works, and what RFK2 should become
Every rendering of the Commanders’ roughly 70,000-seat home is designed to offer fans a step into the future after three decades in a building that rarely felt like home. There’s no shortage of opinions. Team officials acknowledge they are listening.
But there’s another faction worth hearing from: the ones who actually work in these buildings.
Players aren’t focused on food options or concourse widths. They’ve lived the league’s stadium spectrum — and their preferences often overlap with fans when it comes to atmosphere and identity, especially with a return to the District.
“Whatever DC feels like, it should be that vibe, that energy,” linebacker Bobby Wagner said.
No active Commander played a snap at the now-demolished RFK site. Many were not alive when the franchise moved out ahead of the 1997 season. Suggestions from the 27 players to cast a vote naturally centered on current NFL venues.
US Bank (Vikings)
“I like Minnesota’s because it seems very timeless and modern,” McLaurin said. “It doesn’t feel like you’re all cramped in there. It feels comfortable, kind of like a palace, almost.”
The stadium’s translucent roof — the largest of its kind — allows natural light to filter in, a feature players repeatedly praised.
“It’s a dome but it’s bright,” rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt said. “I like the lights and the glass roof.”
McLaurin’s only quibble: the surface. While Minnesota has improved its field — installing a high-performance synthetic turf designed to mimic natural grass — players still prefer the real thing.
SoFi – (Rams, Chargers)
SoFi’s hybrid concept — covered but open-air — drew consistent praise.
“You can see your breath in there,” Wylie said. “You’re protected from the rain… and then you’ve got the 360-degree scoreboard. I really like it.”
Allegiant (Raiders)
Wagner and others highlighted Allegiant Stadium for its sense of identity.
“The aesthetics — it feels like Vegas,” Wagner said. “People should walk into [RFK2] and be like, man, this feels like DC.”
“I think the Raiders stadium has definitely figured it out,” Miller said. “They have a grass field indoors… and they were able to cater to the football team while making it a year-round venue.”
Lumen Field (Seahawks)
“It just sounds different,” safety Percy Butler said. “Makes the fans sound louder than they really are.”
“I love any stadium that has some sort of skyline,” Bates said. “…what is so cool is when you can see buildings in the background.”
Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
What C Matt Gulbin Brings to the Washington Commanders
At 6-foot-3, 305 pounds, Gulbin played all across the interior of the offensive line throughout his college career which provides Washington with a young, versatile depth piece at both guard spots, but most importantly center. The Commanders made a surprising move to cut Tyler Biadasz earlier this offseason and Nick Allegretti has become the presumptive starter as his replacement.
We were expecting the Commanders to add a more established option to compete with Allegretti, but that never materialized so instead they drafted Gulbin as the younger developmental option. So what does Gulbin bring to Washington and could he push Allegretti for a starting spot? Let’s take a closer look.
What stands out with Gulbin is that he’s fundamentally pretty sound. In pass protection, he shows good hand placement and the ability to anchor and absorb power rushers. In the run game, he understands the requirements of different schemes and can seal off a defender on the back side or drive a defender down the line depending on what the scheme asks him to do.
He consistently plays with good hands and leg drive that enables him to wash defenders down the line, which is a great trait. But not all blocks require the center to lock on and drive block a defender. Sometimes he needs to work his way to the defender’s outside shoulder and seal him off inside instead. Gulbin is capable of doing that too.
Gulbin does have some athletic limitations, but he understands how to use his technique to still be an effective run blocker, even on zone runs where athleticism is typically valued higher.
Commanders Roundtable
Three Free Agents Who Could Fill Needs for Washington Commanders
CB Rasul Douglas
Former Dallas and briefly Green Bay cornerback Trevon Diggs has been loosely linked to Washington in random reports, but that has not materialized into anything. While Diggs saw success under Dan Quinn in Dallas, Diggs is far removed from that place in his career and proved to be a liability in his final two seasons as a Cowboy. Yet there are other options, including one coming off a strong 2025 season.
Veteran Rasul Douglas hasn’t always been consistent in his career, but the 30 year old proved to be a big piece of the Dolphins’ secondary where he posted 13 pass deflections and a pair of interceptions in 13 starts and 15 appearances. Douglas also allowed just a 54.5% completion percentage and allowed three touchdowns on 77 targets.
Washington has a pair of veterans in Akhello Witherspoon and Amik Robertson already signed to pair with Mike Sainristil and Trey Amos back as Amos recovers from his season-ending injury, but Douglas could solidify the rotation after prioritizing speed and depth in the front seven.
Commanders.com
2026 schedule preview | NFC West
The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.
The Commanders will play all four teams in the NFC West and AFC South, including two home matchups against the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, who have a first-round bye in this year’s playoffs. The Commanders will host the Houston Texans, another playoff team, for the first time since the 2018 season in just the seventh matchup between the two squads in franchise history.
Today. we’re going to focus on the NFC West as we preview some of the key teams on Washington’s schedule.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers made it clear that Brandon Aiyuk will [not] play for them in 2026, which means they needed to supply Brock Purdy with more options. They found solid options in Evans, who didn’t record a 1,000-yard season for the first time in his career because of injury but is still considered a No. 1 receiver, and Kirk. The 49ers managed to put together a 12-5 record in 2025 with Christian McCaffrey as the only real weapon on offense, but the hope is that both Evans and Kirk can help alleviate some of that pressure on the soon-to-be 30-year-old running back.
Seattle Seahawks
Re-signing Shaheed was arguably the Seahawks’ biggest accomplishment this offseason. His speed and ability to affect games on special teams didn’t always shine in the games after they acquired him via trade, but he flashed enough to garner interest from several teams.
Arizona Cardinals
It seems like the Cardinals are playing the long game with their roster, and whoever ends up starting at quarterback in 2027 should theoretically have a better cast around them thanks to the additions they made this offseason. Bourne is older but did have 551 yards with the 49ers as a depth player in 2025. Allgeier has moved on from Atlanta to provide some physicality to the Cardinals backfield, and Duvernay will hopefully add a boost in the return game.
The Cardinals could have addressed a number of positions with the No. 3 overall pick but chose to take the best player available in Love, who should provide their offense with a level of explosiveness they haven’t had in recent memory.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams made one of the most shocking picks in the draft when they selected Simpson in the first round. Simpson will not start as long as Matt Stafford is on the team and will compete to be the backup, which puts him in the beneficial position of sitting and learning behind one of the most productive quarterbacks in the last 25 years.
A to Z Sports
3 UDFA rookies that have a chance to shake up the Commanders offseason, starting with rookie minicamp
Jaden Bradley, WR, UNLV
Bradley immediately sticks out in the Commanders receiver room because he’s the only guy over 6-foot-2 [Note from Bill-in-Bangkok: This is not accurate; Ja’Corey Brooks is listed at 6’3”, 195 lbs; Jacoby Jones is listed at 6’3”, 228 lbs; and Nick Nash is listed at 6’3”, 195 lbs]. At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, he brings solid size and big-play ability to the receiver corps.
He finished his college career on a high note, snagging 58 receptions for 931 yards and four touchdowns, all career-bests. Bradley obviously deserves his fair share of the credit, but UNLV head coach Dan Mullen’s message helped spark a productive final season.
“I said ‘What you’ve done in the past probably hasn’t worked, so why don’t you try it our way and try to buy in?’” Mullen told Hero Sports‘ Ron Counts back in October 2025. “Most of the improvement I’ve seen from him is from the neck up, his attitude, his demeanor, and the way he prepares.”
Bradley helped the Rebels amass a 10-4 record last year and had five games of 70+ receiving yards. Two of said games were of the 100+ variety, where Bradley recorded 131 and 125 yards.
The Commanders room isn’t very stable outside star receiver Terry McLaurin, so Bradley has a chance to climb the depth chart with a strong offseason.
Riggo’s Rag
5 Commanders UDFAs who might sneak onto 2026 roster
Fred Davis II – Commanders CB
Despite some significant improvements across the defense this offseason, the Commanders have deprioritized the cornerback room. While there is still a chance for another addition to join the ranks at some stage, general manager Adam Peters decided to allocate his primary resources to the front seven.
Marshon Lattimore was released, saving $18.5 million against the salary cap. Jonathan Jones left for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Noah Igbinoghene landed a superb opportunity with the Seattle Seahawks. Veteran corners Amik Robertson and Ahkello Witherspoon were signed in free agency. One is undersized, while the other is injury-prone.
Trey Amos and Mike Sainristil have promise, but the cupboard is relatively bare aside from this quartet. That could provide an opening for someone like Fred Davis II to make his presence felt.
Davis was a highly touted four-star high school recruit, generating substantial interest before opting to join Clemson. But aside from some notable coverage flashes, he never really established himself over three years, transferring to Central Florida and then Jacksonville State before his final year of eligibility at Northwestern.
The incoming rookie is a fluid mover with sufficient speed. Davis can attack the football, though his tackling technique needs refinement. He is a versatile scheme player, which is why the Commanders have shown interest. And there could be a window to strike if he hits the ground running.
Commanders Wire
Have Commanders fans prematurely given up on WR Luke McCaffrey?
Ben Standig, who probably leads local DMV media coverage of the Commanders, discussed the Commanders’ receiver room on the Sunday episode of his podcast, “Last Man Standig.”
Standig did admit early that Washington’s newest receiver, Antonio Williams (Clemson), selected in the third round, may end up starting in the slot this season
As for McCaffrey himself? Standig pointed out that McCaffrey contributed last season; he was no mere bench warmer. McCaffrey, of course, was limited to nine games due to his season-ending injury against the Seahawks when he suffered a clavicle fracture (broken collarbone). Returning kickoffs, McCaffrey experienced success, ranking second in the NFL per return yardage at the time of his injury.
[H]is 66.7% success rate tied for fourth on the team. When he caught a 50-yard pass against the Chargers, it would be the second longest of the season for a Commander behind only Terry McLaurin’s 56-yard reception. Of his 11 receptions (in nine games), six were successful to move the chains for first downs. To only have 11 receptions and three of them be for touchdowns does illustrate his productivity.
Podcasts & videos
GROWING PAINS: Commanders CB Mike Sainristil IMPROVED in 2025 In Spite of Unit Struggles
Jayden Daniels is the BEST QB in the NFC East | Podcast | Washington Commanders | NFL
NFC East links
Big Blue View
3 quick questions about NY Giants’ DT D.J. Reader with Pride of Detroit
The New York Giants completed the offsesason transformation of their defensive front seven with the signing on Tuesday of veteran nose tackle D.J. Reader. A 10-year veteran, Reader spent the last two seasons with the Detroit Lions. So, we turned to Jeremy Reisman of SB Nation’s Pride of Detroit to find out a little bit more about what Reader brings to the Giants.
Ed: The PFF and PFSN scores make it seem as though Reader did not play as well for the Lions as he did at earlier stops in his career. Is that correct?
Jeremy: I think it can be a little hard to trust PFF grades of a primary run-stopping NT. I think Reader is still pretty productive in that role specifically, but if you’re hoping for some extra juice in the pass rush game, I’m not sure he has much left in the tank there.
Ed: Were the Lions interested in keeping him? If not, why not?
Jeremy: I think the Lions would’ve gladly welcomed him back, but not at that price. They have been in ultra-savings mode. Only one free agent signing/re-signing has averaged more the $5M a year.
ESPN
Lawrence Taylor out of hospital after stomach-related illness
New York Giants Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor was discharged recently from the hospital following a stint for a stomach-related issue, his attorney said Tuesday.
Mark Eiglarsh said in an email to The Associated Press that Taylor is returning home to Florida after being hospitalized in Morristown, New Jersey, since April 20.
“He is grateful to now be on the road to recovery and hopes to be back on the golf course soon,” Eiglarsh said, adding that the 67-year-old expressed appreciation to the staff at Morristown Medical Center.
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ESPN
Sources: NFL Referees Association schedules vote to ratify new CBA with NFL
Negotiations between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association on a new collective bargaining agreement have progressed far enough that the union has scheduled a ratification vote for Thursday night, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
When formally approved by both sides, the agreement would avoid the need for replacement officials this season. The existing CBA is set to expire May 31.
Specific terms of the agreement were not immediately available. The NFL declined comment, and the NFLRA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Pro Football Talk
Buccaneers GM Jason Licht: Maxx Crosby trade falling apart “helped us a little bit”
During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht shed some light on how Tampa was impacted by the deal. The Bucs took edge rusher Rueben Bain with the 15th overall pick, but Licht thinks things would have played out differently had the trade gone through.
The Raiders would have landed the 14th pick and pass rusher would have been an obvious need for General Manager John Spytek in a post-Crosby world, but the pick remained in Baltimore. Spytek had also agreed to sign former Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum during the period when the trade was set to go through, which meant that the Ravens had an acute need on their offensive line at No. 14. They didn’t have as big a need for an edge rusher after signing Trey Hendrickson, so guard Vega Ioane became the choice.
“Then I think going back to free agency when, you know, the Raiders-Ravens trade didn’t work out, I think that in some way I’d like to think helped us a little bit. I was a little afraid if the Raiders made that trade, Spytek, he and I are very close, he was taunting me a little bit, hey, we’re sitting right in front of you, I know what you need,” Licht said.
Deadspin
Deshaun Watson’s Potential Return Headlines Browns QB Drama
It’s typically a problem when an NFL team can’t instantly identify their starting quarterback and it is really troublesome if three are in the mix.
Well, hello Cleveland Browns, it appears you still have a quarterback problem even after drafting two in 2025 and another in last week’s draft.
At this point, the Browns might consider inviting the starting quarterbacks from Bowling Green, Toledo, Akron, Miami (Ohio), Ohio University and Youngstown State to put their names in the hat.
Cleveland selected Dillon Gabriel in the third round of the 2025 draft and Shedeur Sanders in the fifth. This year, they chose Taylen Green in the sixth round.
Now ponder this – none of those three guys will be the Browns’ quarterback in Week 1 of this season.
Bet you haven’t forgotten this guy: Deshaun Watson
Everybody has already written him off as one of the biggest busts in NFL history. But with one season to go on his contract and his Achilles tendon now healed, opportunity suddenly knocks.
Cleveland has a new head coach in Todd Monken and it appears he will give Watson every opportunity to earn the job.
Before being suspended and ridiculed for more than two dozen instances of sexual misconduct, Watson was a pretty good quarterback.
He tossed a career-high 33 touchdown passes against a career-low seven interceptions in 2020 while also leading the NFL with 4,823 passing yards. At that point, nobody anywhere was forecasting his career would fall off a cliff.
A contract dispute with the Houston Texans and all the sordid claims by massage therapists delivered repeated blows at Watson’s reputation. He was traded to the Browns in 2022 and received a five-year contract for a then-record $230 million in guaranteed money.
It seemed surreal that anybody would give Watson a contract like that.
And, of course, it was a complete disaster.
Discussion topics
NFL.com
Top 101 NFL free agents of 2026: Ranking the best players still available
42. Jauan Jennings WR · Age: 29
Everyone’s favorite instigator, Jennings is a rugged receiver who can block, make contested catches and occasionally carry an offense. I want that known.
55. Stefon Diggs WR · Age: 32
Still an excellent route runner and third-down option, Diggs would be ranked higher as a short-term play if not for his pending legal matter.
61. Deebo Samuel WR · Age: 30
Deebo looked like his old self in Washington for stretches. His burst seems to come and go these days, so a role with reduced snaps could maximize his impact.
85. Trevon Diggs CB · Age: 27
I would buy low on Diggs after a brutal stretch of injuries and unhappiness with the Cowboys — especially if I was old partner Dan Quinn.
