The Top Cat'S MOCK DRAFT
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The Top Cat'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON DEC 27, 2025

Another clearout

  • The Top Cat DRAFTING FOR THE
    Commanders
Draft Selections
Peter Woods Head Shot
PICK: 7 RND: 1 (WSH)
Peter Woods
DL-EDGE Clemson
Caleb Banks Head Shot
PICK: 40 RND: 2 (WSH)
Caleb Banks
DE Florida
Jake Slaughter Head Shot
PICK: 41 RND: 2 (WSH)
Jake Slaughter
C Florida
Antonio Williams Head Shot
PICK: 71 RND: 3 (WSH)
Antonio Williams
WR Clemson
Zakee Wheatley Head Shot
PICK: 78 RND: 3 (WSH)
Zakee Wheatley
S Penn State
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 116 RND: 4 (WSH)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Justin Joly Head Shot
PICK: 146 RND: 5 (WSH)
Justin Joly
TE NC State
Taylen Green Head Shot
PICK: 188 RND: 6 (WSH)
Taylen Green
QB Arkansas
Drayk Bowen Head Shot
PICK: 197 RND: 6 (WSH)
Drayk Bowen
LB Notre Dame
Jalen Thompson Head Shot
PICK: 223 RND: 7 (WSH)
Jalen Thompson
DL-EDGE Michigan State
Draft Picks Received
Caleb Banks Head Shot
PICK: 40 RND: 2 (CIN)
Caleb Banks
DE Florida
Jake Slaughter Head Shot
PICK: 41 RND: 2 (NO)
Jake Slaughter
C Florida
Zakee Wheatley Head Shot
PICK: 78 RND: 3 (TB)
Zakee Wheatley
S Penn State
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 116 RND: 4 (TB)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Players traded away
Head Shot
Andrew Wylie
OG
Head Shot
Bobby Wagner
LB
Head Shot
Daron Payne
DT
Head Shot
Jartavius Martin
S
Head Shot
Javon Kinlaw
DT
Head Shot
Marshon Lattimore
CB
Head Shot
Nick Allegretti
OG
Head Shot
Noah Igbinoghene
CB
Head Shot
Percy Butler
S
Draft Grade — Commanders
Overall D
ValueB NeedB TradesF FutureB-
The Commanders got the worse of every deal, and it shows in the D.

The Jalen Thompson pick is the one that will follow the Commanders into the fall. They took him 54 spots ahead of his grade, and the board is not shy about saying so. It grades a D, and the process earned it.

They lost the exchange badly enough to drag the whole class down. They covered a lot of ground and still skipped running back, which is a strange place to end up. Whatever else happened, they won the night they took Banks.

In short, the board sent warnings, and they will be hoping it was wrong.

Pick Analysis
Pick7 Rnd1 Peter Woods
In the 7th pick they get juice off the edge at fair value. A real need, handled.
Pick40 Rnd2 Caleb Banks
A quiet steal in pick 40: Caleb Banks for less than the market said. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick41 Rnd2 Jake Slaughter
They paid sticker price for Jake Slaughter in the 41st overall pick, and that is fine. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick71 Rnd3 Antonio Williams
A slide stopped in No. 71, with Antonio Williams worth more than the price. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Pick78 Rnd3 Zakee Wheatley
Good price on Zakee Wheatley in slot 78, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Pick116 Rnd4 D'Angelo Ponds
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and D'Angelo Ponds at pick No. 116 is the proof. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick146 Rnd5 Justin Joly
Justin Joly slid further than he should have, and pick 146 is lovely value for the tight end. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick188 Rnd6 Taylen Green
Taylen Green at the Round 6 slot is money in the bank, a quarterback taken below his worth. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick197 Rnd6 Drayk Bowen
They jumped the gun on Drayk Bowen, taking him earlier than his grade liked. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Pick223 Rnd7 Jalen Thompson
A big swing on Jalen Thompson at the 223rd pick, well ahead of any board in the building. It fills a real need, too.