The pit in Washington Commanders fans' stomachs has returned.
For the third time this season, quarterback Jayden Daniels has gone down with an injury. He avoided a significant injury in Week 2. A thumbs-up assured spectators in Week 7 that his next absence would be brief.
There was no sigh of relief on Sunday Night Football. Daniels dislocated his left elbow on national television, ushering Washington into uncertainty and thrusting fans back to January 2013.
Fortunately, it seems that Daniels avoided the worst. He didn't injure his throwing arm, and his X-rays were negative. But the Commanders' season is unofficially over, and at 3-6, a top-10 pick feels inevitable.
Daniels will be back, and he should have a blue-chip talent joining him in 2026.
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Washington's top 10 picks?
Arvell Reese, Linebacker, Ohio State
Few players have propelled their stock as far as Reese has in 2025. He looks like the best collegiate linebacker in the country. He might be the best edge rusher, too.
Reese packs incredible play strength into a 240-pound frame, rounding out an otherwise elite athletic profile.
Washington's defense is seriously lacking along the edge, a critical component of a Dan Quinn defense that prefers to be aggressive in man coverage. The Commanders aren't necessarily set at the second level, either, opening the door for Reese to make an impact in either spot.
He may very well be gone by the time Washington is on the clock, but teams with quarterbacks this good aren't supposed to be in the conversation for a prospect of this pedigree.
Jordyn Tyson, Wide Receiver, Arizona State
Tyson entered the year as the consensus WR1 and has entrenched himself on that pedestal. He is comfortable at each receiver spot and capable of making an impact at every level of the field.
Tyson is a natural separator with good footwork and an innate ability to find the blind spot and attack it. There's plenty of athleticism in the profile; he leads the conference in receptions, and his growth year-over-year is encouraging.
There are long-term concerns about Terry McLaurin (hence the hesitancy to extend him this summer). Tyson could reasonably step into his role and provide an exceptional complement in the meantime.
Makai Lemon, Wide Receiver, USC
If Tyson isn't the first receiver off the board, Lemon might be the favorite to pass him. There's also an argument that he fits Washington's current offense better.
With McLaurin winning vertically on the boundary, there's room for an explosive playmaker who can improve the offense over the middle of the field. Lemon's archetype keeps producing superstars, and an exceptional start to his 2025 campaign has added credibility to his case. Lemon already has more yards than he posted last season (in four fewer games).
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His blend of high-level athleticism and quarterback-friendly nuance makes him one of the safer receiving prospects in this class, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he improved upon concerns with his physicality at the next level.
Keldric Faulk, Edge Rusher, Auburn
The first round of the NFL Draft has produced several exceptional pass rushers in recent years, but it's the ones that can stay on the field as above-average run defenders that have garnered the most attention.
Faulk isn't as versatile as Rueben Bain Jr. And hasn't had the success that Reese has found in 2025. However, his ability to improve Washington's passing-down potency and run defense is enough to make him a viable top-10 pick. His technical polish is impressive and his athleticism checks the box, even if it isn't truly elite.
Posting just two sacks through a half-season remains the biggest knock on his profile. There's still time for him to establish himself as a clear top-15 pick, and he certainly has the tools to pull it off.
Caleb Downs, Safety, Ohio State
The only reason that Downs might fall out of the top 10 is positional value. The league has historically waited to draft safeties, even of blue-chip pedigree, and Downs could very well see a similar fate.
That doesn't diminish the caliber of prospect Downs is (and has been since well before he was draft-eligible), nor does it mean the Commanders can't take him in the back half of the top 10.
Downs boasts special versatility. His instincts are elite, his athleticism allows him to capitalize on them, and his experience at both Alabama and Ohio State has presented him with the opportunity to take on several roles in NFL-level coverage schemes.
Washington needs more help at corner than safety, but the board lends itself to a Downs selection. Among the most helpful defensive pieces for a competitive team is a player capable of giving the ball back to a star quarterback. With multiple interceptions in each of his three collegiate seasons, he'll enter the league primed to make an impact.
More Commanders updates.
- The story of Robert Griffin III's 2013 knee injury that derailed NFL career
- Dan Quinn ripped for not pulling Jayden Daniels before elbow injury
- How long is Jayden Daniels out with elbow injury suffered in Week 9?
- How Seahawks dominated Week 9 SNF matchup against Commanders