Commanders Draft Caleb Downs, Ted Hurst

0:00On April 3rd, the Washington Commanders hold the 7th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and a fresh ESPN mock has them grabbing Ohio. State safety, Caleb Downs, General Manager Adam Peters plugs some defensive gaps in free agency, but with teams ahead shaking things up, anything could happen up top. This draft class stays wild beyond the top quarterbacks, leaving Washington guessing on the clock. The crew of Mel Kuiper Jr., Jordan Reed, field yates in Matt Miller, rotated picks, and Reed slotted Downs to the commanders for his smarts and range. Downs brings elite instincts to a secondary that coughed up 8.1 yards per pass attempt last year, third worst in the league. He's a sure-tackler with ball-hawking skills, fitting right in despite recent safety signings like Nick Cross. Later at pick 71 since they lack a second rounder, Reed sends Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hearst their way. At 6 foot 4 and 206 pounds, with a 4.4 240, Hearst stretches the field for Jaden Daniels

1:03and adds pop to a passing, attacks short on big plays. These two could form a solid duo, with Downs starting day 1 and Hearst growing into a deep threat without rushing it, setting Washington up nice for, the long haul. That's your NFL News Today update, AI-powered and always on.