The Top Cat'S MOCK DRAFT
  1. Home
  2. Simulator

The Top Cat'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON FEB 8, 2026

Plenty

  • The Top Cat DRAFTING FOR THE
    Commanders
Draft Selections
Arvell Reese Head Shot
PICK: 26 RND: 1 (WSH)
Arvell Reese
LB Ohio State
Caleb Banks Head Shot
PICK: 49 RND: 2 (WSH)
Caleb Banks
DL Florida
Dillon Thieneman Head Shot
PICK: 60 RND: 2 (WSH)
Dillon Thieneman
S Oregon
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren Head Shot
PICK: 71 RND: 3 (WSH)
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
S Toledo
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 94 RND: 3 (WSH)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Caden Curry Head Shot
PICK: 96 RND: 3 (WSH)
Caden Curry
DE Ohio State
Bryce Lance Head Shot
PICK: 125 RND: 4 (WSH)
Bryce Lance
WR North Dakota State
DeMonte Capehart Head Shot
PICK: 126 RND: 4 (WSH)
DeMonte Capehart
DT Clemson
Drew Allar Head Shot
PICK: 131 RND: 4 (WSH)
Drew Allar
QB Penn State
J'Mari Taylor Head Shot
PICK: 145 RND: 5 (WSH)
J'Mari Taylor
RB Virginia
Lander Barton Head Shot
PICK: 168 RND: 5 (WSH)
Lander Barton
LB Utah
Jermaine Mathews Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 169 RND: 5 (WSH)
Jermaine Mathews Jr.
CB Ohio State
Daevin Hobbs Head Shot
PICK: 185 RND: 6 (WSH)
Daevin Hobbs
DL Tennessee
Josh Cuevas Head Shot
PICK: 194 RND: 6 (WSH)
Josh Cuevas
TE Alabama
Trey Zuhn III Head Shot
PICK: 196 RND: 6 (WSH)
Trey Zuhn III
OT Texas A&M
J. Michael Sturdivant Head Shot
PICK: 211 RND: 6 (WSH)
J. Michael Sturdivant
WR Florida
Raheem Anderson II Head Shot
PICK: 223 RND: 7 (WSH)
Raheem Anderson II
C Western Michigan
Draft Picks Received
Arvell Reese Head Shot
PICK: 26 RND: 1 (BUF)
Arvell Reese
LB Ohio State
Caleb Banks Head Shot
PICK: 49 RND: 2 (MIN)
Caleb Banks
DL Florida
Dillon Thieneman Head Shot
PICK: 60 RND: 2 (BUF)
Dillon Thieneman
S Oregon
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 94 RND: 3 (DEN)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Caden Curry Head Shot
PICK: 96 RND: 3 (SEA)
Caden Curry
DE Ohio State
Bryce Lance Head Shot
PICK: 125 RND: 4 (NE)
Bryce Lance
WR North Dakota State
DeMonte Capehart Head Shot
PICK: 126 RND: 4 (BUF)
DeMonte Capehart
DT Clemson
Drew Allar Head Shot
PICK: 131 RND: 4 (NE)
Drew Allar
QB Penn State
Lander Barton Head Shot
PICK: 168 RND: 5 (DEN)
Lander Barton
LB Utah
Jermaine Mathews Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 169 RND: 5 (NE)
Jermaine Mathews Jr.
CB Ohio State
Josh Cuevas Head Shot
PICK: 194 RND: 6 (MIN)
Josh Cuevas
TE Alabama
J. Michael Sturdivant Head Shot
PICK: 211 RND: 6 (SEA)
J. Michael Sturdivant
WR Florida
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 1 (DAL)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 3 (MIN)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 3 (NE)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 4 (NE)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 6 (DEN)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
David Bailey Head Shot
PICK: 7 RND: 1 (DAL)
David Bailey
LB-EDGE Texas Tech
Players traded away
Head Shot
Daron Payne
DT
Head Shot
Jartavius Martin
S
Head Shot
Javon Kinlaw
DT
Head Shot
Nick Allegretti
OG
Head Shot
Percy Butler
S
Head Shot
Tyler Biadasz
C
Draft Grade — Commanders
Overall D+
ValueB NeedB- TradesF FutureA+
A costly weekend of dealing drags the Commanders to a D+.

The Commanders treated their own grade as gospel and everyone else's as noise, spending slot 223 on Raheem Anderson II a full 37 spots early.

They handed away value on the phones that the picks cannot earn back. However the rest shakes out, Thieneman at that price is a win they earned. They went 8 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.

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

Pick Analysis
Pick26 Rnd1 Arvell Reese
In pick No. 26 they get the heartbeat of the defense, outstanding value to boot. More want than need.
Pick49 Rnd2 Caleb Banks
They did well to land Caleb Banks in the Round 2 slot, just ahead of his grade. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick60 Rnd2 Dillon Thieneman
A top-tier safety at a bargain, Dillon Thieneman in Round 2, Pick 28, plain and simple. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
Pick71 Rnd3 Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
A tidy bit of business in the 71st pick, where Emmanuel McNeil-Warren graded well above the range. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
Pick94 Rnd3 D'Angelo Ponds
The board had cheaper options than D'Angelo Ponds at the 94th overall pick, and it noticed. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick96 Rnd3 Caden Curry
They paid sticker price for Caden Curry in No. 96, and that is fine. The roster fit checks out.
Pick125 Rnd4 Bryce Lance
Value with a capital V on Bryce Lance in slot 125, a genuine coup. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Pick126 Rnd4 DeMonte Capehart
DeMonte Capehart in the 126th pick is fair value, right on his grade. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick131 Rnd4 Drew Allar
Drew Allar in Round 4, Pick 31 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Pick145 Rnd5 J'Mari Taylor
J'Mari Taylor at the Round 5 slot is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the running back. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick168 Rnd5 Lander Barton
A reasonable price with a little left over, Lander Barton in the 168th overall pick. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
Pick169 Rnd5 Jermaine Mathews Jr.
Jermaine Mathews Jr. at pick No. 169 is money in the bank, a cornerback taken below his worth. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Pick185 Rnd6 Daevin Hobbs
They left a pile of value on the table to take Daevin Hobbs this early at No. 185. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Pick194 Rnd6 Josh Cuevas
By-the-book stuff, Josh Cuevas at pick 194 squarely in line with his ranking. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick196 Rnd6 Trey Zuhn III
Trey Zuhn III at the 196th overall pick is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick211 Rnd6 J. Michael Sturdivant
No edge and no loss on J. Michael Sturdivant in the Round 6 slot; it is a wash and a sensible one. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick223 Rnd7 Raheem Anderson II
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Raheem Anderson II. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.