Commanders 'extremely high' on former Clemson WR turned RB

The 2026 NFL Draft is only one day away, and the league is overflowing with mock drafts. Most mocks only cover the first round or so, although there are a handful that do a full seven-round mock draft. The first round is the most important, though, because that's where the top talent in the draft is found. But that doesn't mean the other rounds aren't important. On the contrary, Tom Brady was a sixth-round draft pick, proving that talent can hide anywhere.

While most mocks show the Washington Commanders selecting either Sonny Styles or Carnell Tate in the first round, there are other players they've been evaluating for later in the draft. NBC Sports' NFL reporter Ryan Fowler indicates that in the absence of drafting Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, the Commanders have another running back in mind.

This is an interesting choice, and it's plausible that Adam Peters will pick up Randall in a later round. He was a wide receiver before he was a running back, making his first appearance at the position in the ACC Championship in 2024. After the season, it was announced he would make the switch permanent.

In his one season as a full-time running back, Randall recorded 168 carries for 814 yards and 10 touchdowns, caught 36 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns, and played a role on special teams returning kicks. At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, Randall is a big running back, and with his receiving background, he tends to run upright, which exposes his upper body to tackles.

However, the struggles he has at running back are largely due to lack of experience, not lack of talent. With the right development, his size and speed can be utilized for a number of different plays and schemes, and David Blough will have no trouble finding a spot for him to fit.

As Fowler noted, the Commanders appeared higher on Randall than most teams. Just last year, Washington landed one of the best Day 3 steals by selecting in the seventh round. Croskey-Merritt, also a running back, led the Commanders in rushing and in touchdowns as a rookie.