Commanders GM Adam Peters faces conflicting advice ahead of the NFL Draft, particularly regarding running back Jeremiyah Love. Experts suggest he should prioritize Love if available, while cautioning against trading back too far from the seventh pick.
Key points
Adam Peters receives conflicting draft advice.
Jeremiyah Love is a top prospect for the Commanders.
Experts warn against trading back from the seventh pick.
There are only 12-15 true first-round prospects in this draft.
Jeremiyah LoveAdam PetersOhio StateNotre Dame
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (4) runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown in the first half of a NCAA football game against Syracuse at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
**1. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame.**
For me, Jeremiyah Love is the best prospect I’ve studied in detail this year. There are very few faults in his game. He’s incredibly explosive, has outstanding short area quickness and long speed to go with it, but he’s not just a home run hitter. He’s a very patient runner that understands how to set up blocks and create lanes for himself, which he then has the explosiveness to burst through and turn into huge gains. He’s a true home run threat from anywhere on the field, which is often an overused cliche but it actually applies to him.
Love is also a good receiver out of the backfield and adds a dynamic to the passing game. He shows good route running ability and strong hands, so can be a threat out of the backfield on choice and wheel routes, or shift outside and line up as a receiver or in the slot and run routes from there. He’s also a willing pass protector, meaning unlike most rookie running backs, he won’t have to come off the field in key situations due to a lack of blocking ability. He has the best, most consistent and most well-rounded film of all 10 players I’ve studied in detail, so I have to rank him as the top overall talent.
Kicking off draft week with a new Take Command. Deep diving into draft possibilities with @TheNFLDraftNerd.
— Grant Paulsen (@GrantPaulsen)
****
Reese is a close second to Love. He’s one of the few elite talents in this class and could be elite either as a linebacker or an edge rusher. The traits are there for him to excel at either spot, or even a hybrid position splitting time at both spots. But while the traits are there, he is still quite raw as a rusher. He even admitted in recent interviews he didn’t really practice pass rush moves much in college. So while he’s extremely talented, there is some projection there. He could well end up as the next Micah Parsons – an off-ball linebacker in college that transitions to the edge and ends up becoming a dominant pass rusher.
If he does that, he’ll be the more valuable player long term compared to Love because edge rusher is a much more premium position in the NFL. But he’s not going to be that right away. He will take some time to develop into that role and there’s no guarantee he reaches those heights. So for that reason, I have him second behind Love.
****
Styles was the player on this list I was most surprised by. When you hear about a typical safety to linebacker conversion, you typically think of 6-foot-3, 220 pound guys with great coverage skills but a bit tentative against the run. Styles is not that. He’s got the extra size but he’s also very willing to be physical in the run game. He routinely explodes up into blockers and knocks them back, stacking and shedding them to make tackles. Despite that, he’s still very athletic and has the coverage ability to sink back and take away routes over the middle of the field.
Nothing has really wavered my opinion on this. In fact, it's becoming more solidified.
Q&A
Who is Jeremiyah Love and why is he a top draft prospect?
Jeremiyah Love is a running back from Notre Dame, regarded as the best prospect due to his explosive play, versatility, and strong receiving skills.
What are the potential pitfalls for Commanders GM Adam Peters in the NFL Draft?
Key pitfalls include passing on Jeremiyah Love, trading back too far from the seventh pick, and ignoring players with medical red flags.
What should the Commanders prioritize with their seventh pick in the NFL Draft?
The Commanders should prioritize selecting the best available player, particularly if Jeremiyah Love is still on the board.
How many true first-round prospects are in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Most scouts agree there are only about 12-15 players with true first-round grades in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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**1. Passing up on Jeremiyah Love if He’s There**
Look, I love positional value as much as the next salary-cap nerd, but sometimes you just have to take the best football player on the board. Jeremiyah Love isn’t just a running back; he’s an explosive offensive weapon for a team that desperately lacks them.
**2. The “Recession” Mistake: Trading Back Too Far**
We all know the math. Because of the Laremy Tunsil trade, Washington has the third-fewest picks in the NFL. The temptation to “accumulate assets” by trading down from No. 7 is real, but there’s a cliff in this class.
Most scouts agree there are only about 12-15 “True First Round” grades in this draft. If Peters trades back into the late 20s to grab an extra 3rd or 4th rounder, he’s effectively trading a **Game Changer** for two **Rotational Players**.
According to the latest odds from *FanDuel Sportsbook*, the Tennessee Titans are now overwhelmingly favored to select Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 4 overall at -105 (bet $105 to win $100). Vegas thinks this might be a done deal, with the next-best options — edge rusher David Bailey and linebacker Sonny Styles — coming in at +600 and +650, respectively.
Washington is still being touted as the perfect landing spot for Love, even though that might be his floor. The Titans won’t care about that, but their need to improve the defense could take priority when it counts.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine named Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate the one prospect Washington should avoid in the 2026 NFL Draft. Instead, Ballentine argued the Commanders should address their defense.
“Surrounding Jayden Daniels with more firepower is a noble draft objective for the Commanders. Pairing former Ohio State receiver Terry McLaurin with fellow Buckeye Carnell Tate would even check that box,” wrote Ballentine.
“But this is about utilizing the seventh pick to maximize the roster moving forward. That likely means spending the pick on a defensive player.”
Jordan Tyson: 41 rec, 545 yds, 7 TD
Carnell Tate: 1 game played 5/69/1
— Mark Tyler (Hogs Haven) (@Tiller56) April 20, 2026
Neither Tate nor Tyson have blazing speed, but film shows Tate running away (and often getting underthrown) way more often than Tyson.
Tate makes NFL catches now while Tyson makes college catches that wouldn’t be catches in the NFL.
Full blaze
Here are the prospects:
**Sonny Styles**
Smoke meter: **8**
**Jeremiyah Love**
Smoke meter: **9**
**Caleb Downs**
Smoke meter: **4**
There is no doubting Caleb Downs’ talent. He’s arguably the best overall prospect in this class. He’s got Pro Bowl-caliber upside. What this comes down to is positional importance, which will ultimately determine how high he is taken.
Downs would be a superb fit for Daronte Jones’ schematic concepts. Even so, Vegas has him way down the list of possibilities, and there are growing murmurs that the Commanders may not consider the safety if other legitimate options are available.
**Podcasts & videos**
On video with @LoganPaulsenNFL with one last deep dive before the draft , taking a look from multiple angles at the Commanders. Also: the work Logan puts into setting his top 100 prospects. More. @espnrichmond
Episode 1,306 – Guest: NFL analytics pioneer Mike Tanier of Too Deep Zone on Substack on Washington & the 2026 NFL Draft.
– how bad of a draft is this?
– who should Commanders hope is at 7?
– likelihood of trades
– Adam Peters rebuilding while contending
🎙️Longtime NFL personnel executive Greg Nejmeh returns for an NFL Draft deep dive. Greg's evaluations on Downs, Delane, Styles, Tate and other prospects. We also talk draft strategy. draft day war rooms and how well teams know what will happen in advance.
What has long been expected was underscored once again on Monday morning with NFL insider Adam Schefter leading his “2026 NFL draft intel” ESPN column by reporting that the Philadelphia Eagles are likely trading A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots in June.
Here’s exactly what Schefter had to say (bold emphasis mine):
No matter what happens at this week’s draft, an **A.J. Brown trade to the Patriots is still on the table and still tracking to happen on or after June 1**, per league sources. The two sides have discussed a deal, but neither has been willing to commit to it until after June 1, when Brown’s $40 million salary cap charge would be split between this and next year.
All the elements remain in place to make it happen, and Brown to the Patriots is still the likely outcome … just not during this week’s draft, per sources. Put the trade on hold just for now, but things will soon quickly warm back up. The Eagles remain open to trading Brown, the Patriots remain highly interested in acquiring the star receiver, and conversations are expected to resume shortly on or before June 1, probably culminating in a deal, per league sources.
As one source said about the Patriots’ pursuit of Brown, they’ll “definitely be engaging then.”
It’s not like this reporting contains brand new information. But it reemphasizes what has been suspected for some time now.
**From Pro Football Talk:**
Brown remains on the Eagles roster as the team starts their offseason program this week.
Brown is not expected to be part of that work, however. Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports that Brown will not attend the Eagles’ offseason work as he waits for clarity on his future.
A trade that sends Brown to the Patriots is reportedly likely to come after June 1 for cap purposes. All work for the Eagles and Patriots is voluntary until they hold mandatory minicamps later in June.
**10. Keith Abney II, Arizona State**
Overall: A long, developmental corner who is competitive and has some excellent traits, but needs a significant amount of coaching before he can be a reliable NFL starter.
**11. Chandler Rivers, Duke**
Overall: A versatile defensive back who excels in zone coverage, but size deficiencies will likely force him inside at the next level. His instincts and ball skills stand out on the film.
Eagles Thoughts: If the Eagles see Rivers as a straight-up nickel, I doubt they target him. If they think he can play outside or even slide to safety, there should be interest. A very interesting player, and I liked the film.
Tier 5: Round 3
**12. Julian Neal, Arkansas**
Overall: A long boundary corner who plays with great physicality and ball skills, but has average long speed and can be a little stiff in his movements. The physical tools are there; the fluidity is the question.
Eagles Thoughts: He’ll struggle in man coverage, but could be a really nice fit in the Eagles’ defense, where he can play zone-match rather than straight man. I really like his fit for the Eagles.
**13. Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State**
Overall: A long, versatile outside cornerback with the size and physicality to play as a press-man boundary corner at the next level. The primary concern is the total flag count. 16 coverage flags across the past two seasons is terrifying.
The two players most often connected to the Giants are linebacker Sonny Styles and safety Caleb Downs. Todd McShay of The Ringer, in both his newsletter and his podcast, said he beleives the Giants could end up with BOTH players.
In his newsletter, McShay wrote:
I’m told they love Ohio State defenders Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs. I wouldn’t be surprised if those two guys end up in New York.
McShay did add this about Styles:
“If you want Sonny Styles, you have to get him at 5… [because] he’s going 7. **If Sonny Styles is sitting there at 7, I’m told on pretty damn good authority that Dan Quinn… that’s his guy**.”
**Giants “might not be done dealing”**
That is also from McShay.
“I don’t know for sure that they’re absolutely done,” McShay said on his podcast, mentioning the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 9 as a potential trade partner.
That could be in play for the Giants at No. 5 if Styles is off the board.
A Dexter Lawrence note
Lawrence signed a one-year, $28 million extension after being traded to Cincinnati. McShay said the Giants offered Lawrence roughly the same extension for “more years,” but that Lawrence “had just kinda seen it through” and wanted to be out of New York.
That note just serves as a piece of information for those of you who wonder why the Giants didn’t give Lawrence the contract Cincinnati did. It sounds like the Giants offered him a BETTER one, but he simply preferred to be elsewhere.
The #Giants, who had gotten trade calls centered around edge Kayvon Thibodeaux for the last few months, are now considered less likely to trade him following the blockbuster deal sending Dexter Lawrence to the #Bengals, sources say.
Trent Williams and the San Francisco 49ers have agreed to terms on a two-year, $50 million deal, ending the star offensive tackle’s contract standoff with the team, his agency announced Monday morning.
The new deal includes $37 million fully guaranteed and a $22 million signing bonus, per Williams’ agency. The veteran OT gets $24.5 million this year and is now under contract through the 2027 season, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.
Williams, 37, was set to account for a $38.8 million cap number in 2026, the third and final year of his revised contract signed in 2024.
After making his 12th Pro Bowl appearance in 2025, Williams is now locked in for at least two more seasons in San Francisco.
Now that NFL Network is officially part of ESPN, there will be three separate ESPN-powered NFL Draft broadcasts on TV, starting Thursday night: One on ABC, one on ESPN and one on NFL Network. Each has their own talent lineup and vibe.
There are also plenty of other ways to follow the NFL Draft, from ESPN’s alt-cast featuring Pat McAfee to “The Athletic Football Show” crew streaming live on YouTube for every pick of every round or following along with live reporting and analysis on *The Athletic*’s app, website and social accounts.
**Eagles might not be done trading**
One possibility is adding Vikings linebackerJonathan Greenard, whom the Eagles have checked in on at various points this offseason, per sources. Greenard had 12 sacks in 2024, but he managed only three last season over 12 games, despite a solid 23.3% pass rush win rate. The Vikings have been adamant about getting a premium Day 2 pick for Greenard. Philadelphia holds pick Nos. 54, 68 and 98 on Day 2 this year.
**A lot of love for Love**
There are some who believe he could go as high as No. 3 to Arizona and no lower than No. 7 to Washington, which has been pushing to upgrade its backfield in each of the past two offseasons. The Commanders at No. 7 would seem to be his floor. Last spring, the Commanders planned to pursue Aaron Jones Sr. before he returned to the Vikings. This offseason, Washington added Rachaad White and Jerome Ford to join Jacory Croskey-Merritt, but the team still does not have much money invested in the position. If the opportunity presents itself, some expect the Commanders would rush to turn in the card for Love, giving Washington a great offensive tandem with him and Jayden Daniels.
What side of the ball do you think our 2 top 100 picks are going?
— Mark Tyler (Hogs Haven) (@Tiller56) April 19, 2026
**Browns could be trading down**
[T]he Browns are already taking calls about the No. 6 pick, and sources said they’re open to moving it. Another move back would give the Browns more capital in a draft in which they are already scheduled to have nine picks, including Nos. 6 and 24 in the first round.
A potential trade-up candidate in the eyes of some front office executives is the Cowboys. They have two first-round picks — though they are said to want to hold onto pick No. 20 — and needs for a big-time defensive player.
**Long shot Dallas trade**
Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese — or Bailey, if the Jets take Reese at No. 2 — could slide to No. 5. It would suddenly be very tempting for a team such as the Cowboys to potentially trade up for a top-tier pass rusher. Again, the draft would have to go a specific way for this scenario to play out. But two teams raised this scenario this weekend, wondering if it somehow could unfold this week. It’s exactly the type of scenario that makes the draft so compelling.
**Host-city Steelers have QB, OL questions**
Heading into this week’s draft, host-city Pittsburgh has 12 picks, more than any other team. Yet the Steelers also have their share of unresolved issues.
For starters, left tackle Broderick Jones had a setback to the neck injury he sustained last season, and is scheduled to be examined this week to determine whether he will be ready for training camp and/or the start of the season, per league sources. That could influence whether Pittsburgh needs to find a new left tackle during the first two days of the draft.
As for quarterback, Aaron Rodgers was originally going to give the Steelers an answer on whether he would play in 2026 about a month after the 2025 season ended, but that has now stretched far into the offseason. If Rodgers has not informed the team by Thursday night that he does in fact intend to return, Pittsburgh will need to have conversations about whether Simpson is in play with the No. 21 pick. But either way, the team is looking at taking a QB somewhere over the course of seven rounds.
NFL Media reports that the Steelers have not received any communication from Rodgers about whether he will play and that there is now no expectation that the quarterback’s decision will come before the first round gets underway in Pittsburgh on Thursday.
The Steelers opened their offseason program a couple of weeks ago and they will hold a three-day voluntary minicamp this week. With no Rodgers in the building, 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard is set to serve as the team’s No. 1 quarterback during minicamp.
Mason Rudolph is the only other quarterback currently on the Steelers’ roster.
Rumors were rampant that Aaron Rodgers would show up during the draft in Pittsburgh and announce his return for 2026. The Steelers seem to be trying to throw water on that. (Or it’s just part of the setup for the big reveal.) pic.twitter.com/Matj6Yn9wj
**Injury concerns on Mauigoa**
Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa is still expected to be the first offensive lineman selected Thursday night despite the fact that sources say he has a herniated disc in his back.
Mauigoa returned to Indianapolis for a medical recheck two weeks before the draft. The back injury is not a significant issue now, and it is asymptomatic, but teams say that if it worsens at all, Mauigoa would then need surgery that could sideline him roughly three months. Some teams think he’ll eventually need the surgery at some point either way. One front office executive said last week that if the injury flares up in training camp and requires surgery, it might potentially end Mauigoa’s rookie season.
**Eyes already on the Washington DC Draft in 2027**
Though there might be only one quarterback drafted in this year’s first round, multiple are expected to be square in the first-round mix in the 2027 NFL draft.
Quarterbacks already on the NFL’s radar for 2027 include Oregon’s Dante Moore, Texas’ Arch Manning, Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, Miami’s Darian Mensah, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, LSU’s Sam Leavitt, UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava and Oklahoma’s John Mateer. Not all of those players will be first-round picks, but there are great expectations for many of them, and it provides a glimpse of the potential.
But some teams aren’t even waiting. At least evaluator acknowledged that, while they were out at pro days scouting the prospects for this year’s draft, they took a long hard look at some of the aforementioned quarterbacks in next year’s class. At least one team put in some extra work with a few of these QBs while it was in those college towns, and chances are, that team was not the only one. The NFL is already thinking about the Class of 2027.
**Emmett Johnson, Nebraska**
Johnson is a one-cut-and-go back who carried the load for the Cornhuskers last season. He had 251 carries for 1,451 yards (fourth in the FBS) and 12 touchdowns. At 5-foot-10 and 202 pounds, he is a compact back who displays burst through the hole and finishes his runs. Johnson was fourth in the nation with 93 forced missed tackles last season.
But he’s also a playmaker in the passing game, totalling 85 catches over the past two seasons (656 yards, five TDs). Among FBS running backs, that ranks third over that time.
Center
**Jake Slaughter, Florida**
I like everything about Slaughter’s game. He has a lot of experience — 33 starts and over 2,000 snaps at the pivot — and comes battle-tested, having played in the SEC. And he has allowed only six pressures and three sacks over all that time. At 6-foot-5 and 303 pounds, Slaughter can drive defenders out of the way to open rushing lanes, and he shows good lateral agility and footwork. I really love his awareness on stunts. Overall, Slaughter is just a really good, consistent football player, and I’d expect him to go in Round 4.
Edge rusher
**Gabe Jacas, Illinois**
Jacas handled a lot of responsibilities at Illinois. He wasn’t just getting after the quarterback every snap like other top edge rusher prospects. Instead, he was doing a lot of the tough work, such as sealing the edge and dropping into coverage. At 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds (with 33-inch arms), Jacas is a multidimensional edge who can do pretty much anything asked of him.
And yet … he still managed 11 sacks, 34 pressures and 12.5 tackles for loss last season. Jacas is very underrated, and he should hear his name called Friday in Round 2. At worst, he’s a third-rounder. I really like watching him play.
Linebacker
**Jimmy Rolder, Michigan**
I’ve highlighted Rolder on the “First Draft” podcast. There’s a lot to like about him as a Day 3 target. Rolder was a backup for three years, but he quickly became one of the Wolverines’ best defensive players — and a leader for the unit — as a starter in 2025. He had 69 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, 10 run stops and an interception.
I have him graded as an off-ball linebacker, where the 6-foot-3, 238-pounder jumps off the screen. Rolder has the football IQ, diagnose skills and burst to drop in coverage, and he wraps up as a tackler. I had fun watching the Michigan State game, during which he had 10 tackles and a sack and then recovered a fumble. Rolder will be a steal in the early parts of Day 3.
“The stuff that people in prior years look back and say (about QBs they missed on): ‘I’m pissed that I didn’t notice that he had *that*.’ Fernando has *that*,” said the exec. “It’s his efficiency in the red zone; you can tell that the plays that he makes, he has practiced them. Over his whole career, he has gotten better. He has those intangibles that people say are the reasons that people screw up in the draft.
“I think he has the answers to the test. I loved Cam Ward, but Fernando’s a better prospect than him. There are some physical traits in terms of arm strength and ability to run, where Drake Maye may have a little more, but I feel much better about Fernando than I did about Drake — and I like Drake.
“Fernando shows that he knows how to handle adversity. You see it all over the tape: Bouncing back from getting hit against Miami in the title game. Throwing picks, coming back against Oregon and Penn State.”
“The toughness really stands out,” said another NFL scout. “The dude sits in there and takes some really good shots. He’s got good, not excellent, arm talent. I think he has a chance to be a solid starter. He’s a clean prospect. There are some just questions on the high-end stuff.”
One big transition for Mendoza, an NFL QB coach noted, was that he only threw from under center about three times in his career.
“That’s obviously gonna be a huge difference for him,” said the coach. “A lot of their stuff was pre-snap and box count. RPOs and back-shoulders. Indiana did have a little more of a developed downfield passing game with some of its three-level reads and seven-step progressions than some spread teams in college do. But there’s not a ton of carryover.
“He does have arm talent. His footwork will be more of an adjustment, staying on time and getting the ball out. He drives the ball down the field well. He’s accurate downfield, and he’s fearless in the pocket. That’s why I think he’ll be successful. Even going back to his two years at Cal, where it’s a dirty pocket, he’s got guys in his face, he’s getting messed up at Cal, and still delivering throwing seam balls while he’s getting smoked. He’s comfortable with being pressured.”
There are many more questions about the rest of the QB class.
“There are some things about (Alabama’s) Ty Simpson I appreciate, but the lack of experience and real starter traits is a concern,” said the personnel director. “He needed to stay in college.”
Former LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier underwent tests at the NFL combine that revealed a cyst on his spine — the root cause of the persistent oblique pain that derailed his 2025 season, sources say.
The cyst was pressing on a nerve, causing discomfort in Nussmeier’s oblique. He has… pic.twitter.com/vG7iXFsleE
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) April 20, 2026
Days until…
Draft – 3
Projected Schedule Release – 23
Training Camp – 84
Preseason – 108
2026 Season – 143
— NFL Stats (@NFL\_Stats) April 20, 2026
I keep forgetting to estimate how many undrafted free agents team might sign, but I won't forget for 2026. pic.twitter.com/dPgjRrSfcT
— Nick Korte (@nickkorte) April 20, 2026
It felt like last week the idea of the first round being filled with trades was almost a forced conversation by constant media chatter and some around the league felt that way too. There are a number of teams in the top 10 that would be interested in trading down. They need a…
— United Football League (@TheUFL) April 19, 2026
NFL Network has obtained the police report on the misdemeanor charges against Zachariah Branch, who was arrested while standing on a public sidewalk for not moving far enough when a police officer asked him to move:
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It's become a new "trend" to turn off elevators and stand there blocking them to piss people off.
