The Top Cat'S MOCK DRAFT

The Top Cat'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON APR 13, 2026

Received wisdom

  • The Top Cat DRAFTING FOR THE
    Commanders
Draft Selections
Carnell Tate Head Shot
PICK: 15 RND: 1 (WSH)
Carnell Tate
WR Ohio State
Lee Hunter Head Shot
PICK: 62 RND: 2 (WSH)
Lee Hunter
DT Texas Tech
Gennings Dunker Head Shot
PICK: 65 RND: 3 (WSH)
Gennings Dunker
OG Iowa
Germie Bernard Head Shot
PICK: 71 RND: 3 (WSH)
Germie Bernard
WR Alabama
Elijah Sarratt Head Shot
PICK: 111 RND: 4 (WSH)
Elijah Sarratt
WR Indiana
Zakee Wheatley Head Shot
PICK: 118 RND: 4 (WSH)
Zakee Wheatley
S Penn State
Julian Neal Head Shot
PICK: 128 RND: 4 (WSH)
Julian Neal
CB Arkansas
Jakobe Thomas Head Shot
PICK: 143 RND: 5 (WSH)
Jakobe Thomas
S Miami
Nate Boerkircher Head Shot
PICK: 170 RND: 5 (WSH)
Nate Boerkircher
TE Texas A&M
Domani Jackson Head Shot
PICK: 187 RND: 6 (WSH)
Domani Jackson
CB Alabama
VJ Payne Head Shot
PICK: 209 RND: 6 (WSH)
VJ Payne
S Kansas State
Bryce Foster Head Shot
PICK: 223 RND: 7 (WSH)
Bryce Foster
C Kansas
Draft Picks Received
Carnell Tate Head Shot
PICK: 15 RND: 1 (TB)
Carnell Tate
WR Ohio State
Lee Hunter Head Shot
PICK: 62 RND: 2 (DEN)
Lee Hunter
DT Texas Tech
Gennings Dunker Head Shot
PICK: 65 RND: 3 (ARI)
Gennings Dunker
OG Iowa
Elijah Sarratt Head Shot
PICK: 111 RND: 4 (DEN)
Elijah Sarratt
WR Indiana
Zakee Wheatley Head Shot
PICK: 118 RND: 4 (DET)
Zakee Wheatley
S Penn State
Julian Neal Head Shot
PICK: 128 RND: 4 (DET)
Julian Neal
CB Arkansas
Jakobe Thomas Head Shot
PICK: 143 RND: 5 (ARI)
Jakobe Thomas
S Miami
Nate Boerkircher Head Shot
PICK: 170 RND: 5 (DEN)
Nate Boerkircher
TE Texas A&M
Draft Picks Traded
Keldric Faulk Head Shot
PICK: 7 RND: 1 (TB)
Keldric Faulk
DE-EDGE Auburn
Nadame Tucker Head Shot
PICK: 147 RND: 5 (DAL)
Nadame Tucker
DE-EDGE Western Michigan
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 3 (LV)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Players Gained
Head Shot
Brandon Aubrey
PK
Players traded away
Head Shot
Andrew Wylie
OG
Head Shot
Ben Sinnott
TE
Head Shot
Daron Payne
DT
Head Shot
Jartavius Martin
S
Head Shot
Jer'Zhan Newton
DL
Head Shot
Will Harris
CB
Draft Grade — Commanders
Overall D
ValueB NeedB+ TradesF FutureC+
A costly weekend of dealing drags the Commanders to a D.

When the story of this class is written, it opens with Bryce Foster at Round 7, Pick 7, a reach of 38 spots that the board flatly disagrees with. Hard to defend, and the D reflects that.

Overpaying at the table undid a lot of the good work elsewhere. The edge rusher spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.

If one pick saves this weekend, it is Sarratt.

Bottom line, they will need several of these picks to beat their grades just to break even.

Pick Analysis
Pick15 Rnd1 Carnell Tate
In the Round 1 slot they get a No. 1 receiver. The biggest hole, addressed.
Pick62 Rnd2 Lee Hunter
Lee Hunter is a better player than pick 62 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Pick65 Rnd3 Gennings Dunker
Gennings Dunker slipping to pick No. 65 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick71 Rnd3 Germie Bernard
A tidy bit of business in No. 71, where Germie Bernard graded well above the range. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick111 Rnd4 Elijah Sarratt
You do not let a wide receiver like Elijah Sarratt reach the 111th overall pick and blink. They did not. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick118 Rnd4 Zakee Wheatley
Taking Zakee Wheatley in Round 4, Pick 18 is close to grand larceny; a safety that good had no business lasting this long. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Pick128 Rnd4 Julian Neal
Julian Neal slid further than he should have, and the Round 4 slot is lovely value for the cornerback. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Pick143 Rnd5 Jakobe Thomas
By-the-book stuff, Jakobe Thomas at pick 143 squarely in line with his ranking. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
Pick170 Rnd5 Nate Boerkircher
Fair-plus on Nate Boerkircher, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Pick187 Rnd6 Domani Jackson
Domani Jackson at the 187th overall pick is money in the bank, a cornerback taken below his worth. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick209 Rnd6 VJ Payne
They let VJ Payne come to them and pounced at pick No. 209. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
Pick223 Rnd7 Bryce Foster
Bryce Foster at Round 7, Pick 7 is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.