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Commanders NFL Draft big board: 24 potential fits spanning all 3 days
Day 3
The Commanders have four picks over the last four rounds: a fifth-rounder (No. 147), two sixths (187 and 209) and a seventh (223).
Demond Claiborne, RB, Wake Forest
Described by Brugler as “a low-calorie De’Von Achane,” Claiborne is a smaller back at 5-10, 188 pounds, but he has exceptional speed (4.37 40) and burst, and was a dual threat at Wake Forest. His play needs refinement, but his focus should be on ball security; he lost three fumbles and, according to PFF, had six drops
last season.
Aiden Fisher, LB, Indiana
A two-year starter who served as Indiana’s Mike linebacker after transferring from James Madison, Fisher is athletic and tough and could be a “low-end” starter like Drue Tranquill of the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Brugler. Fisher totaled 215 tackles as a Hoosier and was the first linebacker in program history to earn All-American honors (he did it in 2024 and ’25).
George Gumbs Jr., Edge, Florida
Gumbs is tenacious against the run, but needs refinement as a pass rusher. His work ethic will help him get there, though; he began his college career as a walk-on receiver at Northern Illinois, then switched to edge rusher after his first two years.
Rayshaun Benny, DT, Michigan
Benny has the size, length (81 5/8-inch wingspan) and athleticism to intrigue, but he also has a lengthy injury history.
Collin Wright, CB, Stanford
Wright started three years at Stanford and checks a lot of boxes: he has the versatility to play inside and outside, is a tough tackler and was a team captain with a lauded work ethic. He also models his game after Byron Murphy, whom new Commanders defensive coordinator Daronte Jones helped develop in Minnesota.
Jakobe Thomas, S, Miami
Thomas plays fast and physical (at times getting him into trouble). He has only one year of starting experience at a Power 4 program — he began his career at Middle Tennessee State — but that one season was enough to garner attention from NFL scouts. Thomas had five picks, 11 passes defended, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles for the Hurricanes last year.
VJ Payne, S, Kansas State
Payne was a three-and-a-half-year starter with experience at free safety, strong safety and nickel at Kansas State. He has good size (6-3, 206) and length (80 3/4-inch wingspan) with 4.4 speed to boot.
Commanders.com
Logan Paulsen’s tier-by-tier breakdown of 2026 NFL Draft
The opinions expressed in this article are based solely on Logan Paulsen’s opinions and expertise as a draft analyst and do not reflect those of the Commanders’ front office.
We’re inching closer to the NFL Draft, and many have finalized their draft boards to rank the top prospects available. However, finding the best players to add to a team’s roster is more complicated than that.
Earlier this week, Washington Commanders analyst Logan Paulsen provided his top 100 players. Today, he’s going further with his evaluation by breaking down where players land in his tier list. Let’s get to it.
Hogs Haven
Commanders Draft: Pick-3 Contest – 2026
So, how does the Draft P3 work?
Today, two days prior to the draft, Washington has 6 selections in the 7-round draft, which starts Thursday.
As has been true every year, each entrant in Draft Pick 3 is allowed to nominate three players for each draft pick that the team has at the moment.
One change this year is that I have added a BONUS pick that anticipates the possibility of a 2nd- or 4th-round pick acquired by trade. Each entrant will be able to nominate 3 additional players in each of those rounds (6 in total) who will come into play if the Commanders pick in either of those rounds by trading up or down. Your bonus pick players will only be considered if the Commanders a pick in the relevant round.
That means that each entrant can identify up to 24 players that he or she thinks might be drafted by the Commanders next week — your own “little board” in effect. If any player on your list gets drafted by the Commanders in the 2026 draft, you get points. The entrant with the most points wins. Simple!
ESPN
2026 NFL draft: Latest Washington Commanders updates, intel, buzz
Don’t expect a reach for need at No. 7
April 21: The Commanders have new coordinators in Daronte Jones on defense and David Blough on offense and both have changed the schemes Washington had run the past two years.
But general manager Adam Peters said the players they won’t be trying to fit square pegs into round holes when they draft at 7. It’s what excites them about this draft.
That’s why Washington has been linked to a number of players in the top 10, from linebacker Sonny Styles to corner Mansoor Delane and at times safety Caleb Downs. If an edge rusher fell to them at seven — whether Arvell Reese or David Bailey — they, too, would make sense. And running back Jeremiyah Love falls into the same category.
“There’s a lot of guys that will possibly be there in different levels of the defense, really every position,” Peters said, “that can really impact us in a real positive way…not only in 2026, but beyond. When you’re picking in the top 10 there’s not too many guys that aren’t scheme fits.”
Commanders Wire
Washington landed a 12-time Pro Bowler last time it picked No. 7 overall
Washington has picked in the No. 7 position three times. Let’s look at the results.
- 1952: Baylor QB/DB Larry Isbell
- 1963: Wisconsin TE/WR Pat Richter
- 1999: Georgia CB Champ Bailey
Obviously, one name stands out here: Bailey. An All-American at Georgia, Bailey was the No. 7 overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft — the same draft where the New Orleans Saints traded all of their picks to the Redskins (plus a first and third-round pick in 1999). Washington then moved back up to No. 7, in a trade with the Chicago Bears, to select Bailey.
Bailey would spend the first five seasons of his NFL career with Washington, going to four Pro Bowls and earning second-team All-Pro honors twice. However, after a contract dispute with then-owner Daniel Snyder, the Redskins traded Bailey and a second-round pick to the Denver Broncos for Bailey. The rest is history. Bailey would play 15 NFL seasons, was a 12-time Pro Bowler, a three-time first-team All-Pro, four-time second-team All-Pro, 52 career interceptions, a spot in the Broncos Ring of Fame, and was also named as one of Washington’s 90 greatest players.
The Athletic (paywall)
2026 NFL Draft hats explained: What’s inside each team’s cap
The Commanders cherry blossom design (by artist Chris Pyrate) didn’t make it onto their new uniforms that debuted last week, but this is another example of a Washington sports team taking advantage of the popularity of cherry blossoms on sports memorabilia in the Nation’s Capital.
Slogan inside the hat: “HTTC” (Hail to the Commanders)
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Big Blue View
NY Giants get free agent visit from another veteran defensive tackle
The New York Giants continued on Tuesday to prepare for life after Dexter Lawrence, hosting another veteran defensive tackle for a free-agent vist.
This time it was Benito Jones, a 6-foot-1, 335-pound six-year veteran who spent the last two seasons with the Miami Dolphins.
The Giants previously hosted veteran defensive tackles Shelby Harris and D.J. Reader. They also hosted wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. this week for a visit that included a physical and a workout.
None of the veteran players have signed. It seems likely at this point that any signings would take place next week after the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft.
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ESPN
Jets GM: Don’t read into canceled visit with DE prospect Bailey
Two days before the NFL draft, the New York Jets’ preference with the second overall choice is still shrouded in mystery. It’s expected to be either Ohio State’s Arvell Reese or Texas Tech’s David Bailey, whose scheduled top-30 visit last week was canceled by the Jets.
Don’t read anything into that, according to general manager Darren Mougey.
“In regard to David, we had good touch points with him at the combine, we went to his pro day, had a good dinner with him, and we were just kind of juggling our 30 [visits] and how to use them,” Mougey said Tuesday at a predraft news conference. “I wouldn’t look too much into a cancellation because there was other ones that we may have changed as well.”
The cancellation of Bailey’s visit fueled speculation that the Jets had settled on Reese. In fact, they already had enough information on Bailey, with Mougey noting they use the top-30 visits for a variety of reasons — medical checks, recruiting and an opportunity for departments such as sports performance to meet with certain prospects.
Front Office Sports
NFL Rookie Deals Will Top $50M for the First Time Since 2010
The first $50 million contracts will be signed this year by NFL draftees since the league’s rookie wage scale was implemented in 2011.
As the NFL’s annual salary cap continues to experience unprecedented growth—surpassing $300 million for the first time in 2026—rookies are also benefiting from the influx of cash, especially top draft picks.
The No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, widely assumed to be Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders, is projected to sign a four-year, $54.56 million contract. The total contract values of the second and third picks are also projected to top $50 million each.
Last year’s No. 1 pick, Titans quarterback Cam Ward, signed a four-year, $48.84 million deal.
All 32 first-round picks sign fully guaranteed four-year contracts, with team options for a fifth year. Picks in rounds 2-7 have some, but not all, of their money guaranteed.
The NFL implemented its rookie wage scale—effectively a salary cap for draftees—in 2011, after contract values for top picks had soared to unprecedented levels.
Former Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft, signed a six-year, $78 million contract, with $50 million fully guaranteed. The next season, with the new wage scale, 2011 No. 1 draft pick Cam Newton signed a four-year, $22 million deal with the Panthers.
Front Office Sports
Mike Tomlin Heading to NBC Sports as Studio Analyst
NBC Sports is hiring Mike Tomlin as its top NFL studio analyst, sources confirmed to Front Office Sports.
The hiring of the former Steelers coach will help fill the void left by Tony Dungy, who NBC let go of earlier this year after 17 seasons on the Football Night in America studio show.
NFL Gossip
ESPN
Mike Vrabel had ‘difficult conversations’ over Russini photos
Vrabel shared no details about what he called a “personal and private matter” or his relationship with Russini and the photos of the pair spending time together at an adults-only hotel in Arizona. He said he had conversations that were “positive and productive” with Patriots players when they reported for voluntary workouts Monday.
“I’ve had some difficult conversations with people I care about — with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players,” Vrabel said Tuesday. “Those have been positive and productive. We believe in order to be successful on and off the field, you have to make good decisions. That includes me. That starts with me.
“We never want our actions to negatively affect the team. We never want to be the cause of a distraction. There are comments and questions that I’ve answered for the team and with the team. We’ll keep those private.”
Vrabel said he wanted to make a statement Tuesday so he could address the media before his players were asked questions about the story and to try to minimize distractions heading into the NFL draft this week.
A spokesperson for the Patriots did not respond last week to a question about whether the team would review Vrabel’s relationship with Russini.
The NFL, meanwhile, said last weekend that it is not investigating Vrabel’s behavior. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday that the league is not looking into the matter.
Pro Football Talk
Mike Vrabel’s Tuesday press conference was unannounced and unexpected
Tuesday’s press conference from Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was a surprise to everyone. Including the reporters who cover the team.
As explained by Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, the notice sent by the Patriots on Monday did not mention Vrabel would be speaking.
Instead, the email sent at 4:35 p.m. ET on Monday said only that, on Tuesday at noon, “two players” would be available at the end of their workouts.
The approach ensured that the press room wouldn’t be swarmed by reporters who don’t regularly cover the team — reporters who would have no qualms about attempting to pepper Vrabel with questions after he made a statement that lasted a little longer than two minutes.
Volin explains that, after the statement was delivered, Vrabel was available for a “side session” with the reporters who were present. Per Volin, “reporters were ordered to turn off all cameras, including phones, and were told to ask only football questions.”
The strategy, which Volin dubbed a “sneak attack,” came after a report emerged on Sunday night that the Patriots tried to kill the initial publication of the photos of Vrabel and Russini by the New York Post. On Tuesday’s PFT Live, Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston questioned whether the Monday morning leak to Adam Schefter of ESPN that a trade by the Patriots for Eagles receiver A.J. Brown is “likely” was aimed at changing the subject from the latest development in the Vrabel-Russini imbroglio to a football topic.
