Commanders land perfect running mate for Terry McLaurin in 2026 mock draft

The Washington Commanders had one of the most disappointing 2025 seasons of any team, given preseason expectations. 

After making a surprise run to the NFC Championship Game in 2024, the team stumbled to a 5-12 record in 2025 after being decimated by injuries. As a result, the team owns the No. 7 pick in the 2026 draft and should be set up to draft an immediate contributor. 

Many mock drafts have had the Commanders going defense with this pick, but it's entirely possible the team would prefer to add another weapon for Jayden Daniels. 

NFL.com's Eric Edholm recently published an updated mock, and he has the Commanders adding Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate. 

Regarding Tate and the Commanders, Edholm offered the following analysis: 

The Commanders really need a complement to Terry McLaurin. Tate naturally gains easy separation and generates big pass plays for his size, which is the kind of skill set Jayden Daniels could use. 

As Edholm mentioned, the Commanders desperately need a competent running mate for Terry McLaurin. 

Deebo Samuel was the team's top non-McLaurin option in 2025, but he's not under contract for 2026. Other than McLaurin and Samuel, no wide receiver on the team had more than 225 yards last season. 

Meanwhile, Tate is one of the top receiver prospects in this class. The Ohio State product caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Tate caught 121 passes for 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns in his college career. 

McLaurin isn't going to play at an elite level for much longer, and Tate could end up surpassing him as the WR1. Tate has the speed to burn corners and get open over the middle, but also has the ability to make contested catches. 

A healthy Jayden Daniels with Tate and McLaurin to throw to and Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the backfield would definitely give Commanders fans something to be excited about. 

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