The first round gets the television hours, but draft classes are often won on Day 3 — and the Washington Commanders did their best work there in 2026, identifying late-round value in edge rusher Joshua Josephs and power back Kaytron Allen that several evaluators flagged as among the draft's better steals.
It's the part of the process that separates good drafting operations from lucky ones. By the fourth round and beyond, the board is mostly noise — and the teams that consistently pull starters out of that range are the ones with scouting departments doing real, unglamorous work on players the consensus overlooked. Washington's haul suggests theirs is humming.
The Commanders set the tone early in Round 1 with Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles at No. 7 — a rangy, versatile defender to build the front seven around. But it's the later picks that will determine whether this class is remembered as good or great. A first-round linebacker is expected to contribute; a Day 3 edge or back who turns into a rotation player is found money.
Draft grades handed out in late April are written in pencil for exactly this reason. The Josephs and Allen picks won't show up in anyone's headline grade, but if they hit, they're the difference between a class that fills the depth chart and one that just fills the roster.
For the full Washington class and our Round 1 verdict on Styles, see the 2026 NFL Draft results.