One of the scenarios that the DraftBot had worried about came to pass on the opening night of the draft, as the Kansas City Chiefs traded up to 6th overall to get ahead of the Commanders and take LSU CB Mansoor Delane. However, its disappointment at missing out on its top-rated prospect was short-lived, as its second rated player, Sonny Styles, was still available.

Styles is a perfect fit to the defense that it expects Daronte Jones to implement. He posted elite figures in run defense in 2025, and was near the top of the LB class in coverage containment in just his second season at the position.  At just 21 years old, he is an ascending player with elite physical tools, who profiles as an impact player in the Commanders’ new look defense.

The selection of Styles also marked a milestone for its EVP of Personnel, Matt in Bris Vegas, as it was the first time a primary Little Board player was drafted by Washington in the first round. Another Little Boarder, Keylan Rutledge, was a surprise first-round pick by the Texans.

With the first round of the 2026 draft in the books, there are still plenty of players remaining on the board who would make great Commanders. Unless something highly unexpected happens, Commanders fans will have to wait until the third round to find out who becomes the next player to don the burgundy and gold.

Following are the best remaining players with Day 1 or Day 2 grades on the DraftBot’s board. The DraftBot’s board contains 136 players, selected for team fit and impact. To approximate projected draft position, multiply its board ranks by 1.89 (although it’s not linear, because it only had 13 players in the first round, and the numbers of players in other rounds are uneven):

The DraftBot rates the following Day 2 prospects above consensus:

CB David Igbinosun, Ohio State – Ascending lockdown corner, small push to the top of Round 3

ED Romello Height, Texas Tech – Good scheme fit, has been for a Top 30 visit. DraftBot rates him about half a round above consensus for the Commanders.

ED Jaishawn Barham, Michigan – Looks like a great fit to a Flores-style defense. Moved up from late to early third round.

WR Malik Benson, Oregon – MiBVs #1 sleeper pick in the 2026 draft. The DraftBot rates him 4 rounds above consensus.  The Commanders have met with him 4 times.

There were also a few notable omissions from the DraftBot’s board, and one adjustment following the selection of Sonny Styles:

ED Cashius Howell, Texas A&M – Poor run defense, looks like a pass rush specialist, unsure that’s a role in Daronte’s defense

CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina – gives up too much yardage in coverage

WR Chris Bell, Louisville – Rehabbing late season ACL tear, not a dynamic athlete

WR Antonio Williams, Clemson – Just kind of average

LB Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh – An early draft cycle man-crush, but what’s his role?

ED Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State – I can’t see Daronte Jones pounding the table for him

WR Ted Hurst, Georgia State – The darling of Commanders’ mock drafts has poor hands. WRs with negative Catch Rate Over Expectation were excluded from the DraftBot’s board.

S Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina – The Commanders are all over him, but he allows too much yardage in coverage

All remaining LBs on Day 2 were either dropped or pushed down to Day 3 following the selection of Styles.