The Ohio State Buckeyes have four defenders, EDGE Arvell Reese, LB Sonny Styles, safety Caleb Downs, and DT Kayden McDonald, who will be taken in the 2026 NFL draft. ESPN's John Keim believes one of those could be the Washington Commanders' savior this April, considering there are multiple positions of need in the nation's capital across the defense.
Keim also mentioned receiver Carnell Tate as an option for Washington quarterback Jayden McDaniels. On both sides of the ball, the Buckeyes could reportedly bail out the downtrodden Commanders.
"When the Washington Commanders travel to Columbus, Ohio, later this month for Ohio State's pro day, they'll get a chance to witness multiple players they could take with the seventh overall pick. In fact, all four players projected as possible top-10 selections could make sense for Washington," Keim prefaced before saying, "The Commanders' list of needs is long, but it includes edge rusher, receiver, linebacker, and defensive back. Ohio State has a player at each position who could tempt them."
"Edge rusher Arvell Reese, linebacker Sonny Styles, safety Caleb Downs , and receiver Carnell Tate are the players who could be taken high. And if the Commanders trade back, as one team source pointed out, defensive tackle Kayden McDonald could be added to the list as well. That will make Ohio State's pro day on March 25 an important one for Washington."
"Clearly, players from other schools will be in the mix as well; much will depend on what Washington does in free agency. But the Commanders need to provide new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones with more talent. Their defense finished 27th in scoring and last in yards in 2025."
Washington was an NFC East winner in 2024. While the Commanders need help, it's not as though this locker room doesn't know how to win. Adding a few national champions from Ohio State's 2024/2025 title team could be a good way to reinvigorate a roster that dropped the ball this past campaign.
Ohio State is the NFL's surest thing at this point
While the quarterback position has seen a number of NFL misfires coming out of Columbus, practically every other position has produced a number of successful pros. The Buckeyes are among the surest bets NFL franchises can make these days.
That matters in ways that are hard to quantify. Recruits will grow up watching the best players in the NFL wear the Scarlet and Gray before realizing their dreams. That will help bridge the gap in NIL/rev-share spending over the next few years, when programs will drudge up massive fundraising to compete.
Some schools can spend money on you, but only one can win titles during your time in college, prepare you to be drafted high in the draft, and have a legacy of producing pros who will go on to win accolades, win titles, and make tens, if not hundreds, of millions more than their initial freshman year salary.
The Ohio State University will never be short of one of the best sales pitches in the country. ESPN's coverage of them this draft only further cements that.