Colin Cowherd's mock draft doesn't make sense for Commanders

Depending on who you ask, Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa may be the best offensive lineman in the 2026 NFL Draft class. Mauigoa is often off the board somewhere in the top 10 of most mock drafts, sometimes inside the top five.

The knock on Mauigoa is that he doesn't play left tackle. A three-year starter at right tackle for the Hurricanes, some believe that his best NFL position could be inside at guard. That could concern some teams because guard is not considered a premium position. Of course, this entire draft class features some outstanding players who do not play premium positions, such as Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.

The goal should always be to find long-term starters who can make an immediate impact and become All-Pros. Mauigoa certainly has that kind of talent.

The Washington Commanders hold the No. 7 overall pick in this year's draft. With a solid offensive line already in place, Washington wouldn't appear to be a fit for Mauigoa. Not everyone agrees with that assessment, though.

In his most recent mock draft for Fox Sports, Colin Cowherd shared his first 15 picks based on what he's hearing around the NFL. Surprisingly, he has Mauigoa to Washington at No. 7.

Cowherd's thoughts: Well, Jayden Daniels needs protection. Laremy Tunsil, meet Francis Mauigoa. Many people think he could interior and play guard. He's not a left tackle. he's more of a right tackle. I don't think he has elite foot quickness, so maybe you move him inside. But I've got Jayden Daniels. Daniels is getting banged up in this league.

Three players often linked to Washington in most mock drafts, Jeremiyah Love, Sonny Styles and Carnell Tate, went 4, 5, and 6, respectively.

Cowherd's logic does make sense. Everything Washington does should be with quarterback Jayden Daniels in mind. That's how GM Adam Peters approached last offseason. He traded for a five-time Pro Bowl left tackle, Tunsil, and doubled down on the tackle position, selecting Josh Conerly Jr. in the first round to play right tackle.

So, this is where we have a problem. The Commanders are set at tackle for the foreseeable future. Conerly made tremendous progress throughout his rookie season, and Tunsil is arguably the NFL's best left tackle. OK, Washington could move Mauigoa inside to guard. Well, not really. The Commanders have Sam Cosmi at right guard. Cosmi is outstanding and is still only 27. At left guard, Washington re-signed last year's starter, Chris Paul, where he'll compete with 2024 third-round pick Brandon Coleman, whom the Commanders love.

There's almost no chance Mauigoa is heading to Washington. Well, there's always a chance. But let's say Cowherd's mock plays out this way on draft night, with Fernando Mendoza, Arvell Reese, David Bailey, Love, Styles and Tate going in the first six picks. That would leave Caleb Downs, Mansoor Delane, Reuben Bain Jr., Jermod McCoy and Makai Lemon as options. Each would fill a position of need, and the Commanders have shown interest in most of these names.

You can't rule anything out on draft night. If some of the aforementioned names are gone, ideally, Washington would love to trade back. But that's easier said than done. It takes two to tango.

Mauigoa's name is certainly an interesting one, but an unrealistic match for the Commanders, who need a dynamic playmaker on either side of the ball. Of course, if Cowherd knew anything about Washington, he'd know an offensive lineman would be down its list of priorities, especially with a first-round pick.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Colin Cowherd's mock draft is a first