The Washington Commanders hold the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday in Pittsburgh. It’s been a wild pre-draft process, with Washington being linked to numerous players on both sides of the ball.
In various mock drafts, we’ve seen the Commanders linked to Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State S Caleb Downs, Ohio State WR Carnell Tate, and LSU CB Mansoor Delane. The unpredictability in this class has Washington all over the place. Fortunately, the Commanders are in a good place; their needs match up well with each of the aforementioned players.
While Washington could trade out of the No. 7 overall pick, especially considering it’s without picks in the second and fourth rounds, GM Adam Peters believed it’s more likely the Commanders stick and pick.
So, what are the odds that Washington comes away with a star player? Throughout NFL history, two players selected No. 7 overall have made it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That will change soon, when legendary former NFL RB Adrian Peterson becomes eligible for entry into the Hall of Fame. Peterson spent two years in the burgundy and gold.
Who are the two Hall of Famers? Former Washington cornerback Champ Bailey (1999) and longtime San Francisco 49ers DT Bryant Young (1994).
Now, let’s take a look at every No. 7 overall pick over the last 30 years:
- 1995: Philadelphia Eagles, DE Mike Mamula
- 1996: New England Patriots, WR Terry Glenn
- 1997: New York Giants, WR Ike Hilliard
- 1998: New Orleans Saints, OT Kyle Turley
- 1999: Washington Redskins, CB Champ Bailey
- 2000: Arizona Cardinals, RB Thomas Jones
- 2001: San Francisco 49ers, DE Andre Carter
- 2002: Minnesota Vikings, OT Bryant McKinnie
- 2003: Jacksonville Jaguars, QB Byron Leftwich
- 2004: Detroit Lions, WR Roy Williams
- 2005: Minnesota Vikings, WR Troy Williamson
- 2006: San Francisco 49ers, TE Vernon Davis
- 2007: Minnesota Vikings, RB Adrian Peterson
- 2008: New Orleans Saints, DT Sedrick Ellis
- 2009: Oakland Raiders, WR Darius Heyward-Bay
- 2010: Cleveland Browns, CB Joe Haden
- 2011: San Francisco 49ers, DE Aldon Smith
- 2012: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, S Mark Barron
- 2013: Arizona Cardinals, G Jonathan Cooper
- 2014: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, WR Mike Evans
- 2015: Chicago Bears, WR Kevin White
- 2016: San Francisco 49ers, DE DeForest Buckner
- 2017: Los Angeles Chargers, WR Mike Williams
- 2018: Buffalo Bills, QB Josh Allen
- 2019: Jacksonville Jaguars: LB Josh Hines-Allen
- 2020: Carolina Panthers, DT Derrick Brown
- 2021: Detroit Lions, OT Penei Sewell
- 2022: New York Giants, OT Evan Neal
- 2023: Las Vegas Raiders, LB Tyree Wilson
- 2024: Tennessee Titans, OL JC Latham
- 2025: New York Jets, OL Armand Membou
There are some terrific players on this list. Obviously, Bailey and Peterson stand out, but current players, like Josh Allen and Mike Evans, are surefire future Hall of Famers, while many of these players are multi-time Pro Bowlers, such as Hines-Allen, and then there is Sewell, who also looks like a future Hall of Famer.
None of this matters for the Commanders, but it is proof that you can land a game-changing talent with the No. 7 overall pick. It’s more important than ever for Peters to hit on this pick after last season’s 5-12 debacle.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Every No 7 pick in NFL draft from last 30 years