Mansoor Delane
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The Commanders have been predicted to select Mansoor Delane in the 2026 NFL Draft
The Washington Commanders entered the offseason knowing that they had some work to do. After missing the playoffs entirely in 2025, the Commanders have been aggressive when it comes to making improvements, both to their coaching staff and their roster. However, there is still work to be done.
While many of the big-name free agents are already off the board, Washington is still armed with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which will give it the ability to add an immediate contributor to a key position of need. With that in mind, one team insider recently predicted that the Commanders would take the top cornerback prospect in the draft with this selection.
Commanders Predicted to Draft Mansoor Delane
Cornerback has long been viewed as a top need for Washington, and that holds true, even after the first wave of free agency. While the Commanders managed to sign Amik Robertson to a two-year, $16 million contract, the team still needs an influx of depth at this position, with the draft being viewed as an area where additions can be made here.
The top option at cornerback in the 2026 draft class is widely believed to be LSU Tigers star Mansoor Delane, and with the No. 7 pick, Washington will be in position to land him if it wants to. After spending three years with the Virginia Tech Hokies, Delane transferred to LSU for the 2025 campaign, and he earned All-American honors after he racked up 45 tackles, two interceptions, and 11 pass breakups for his new team.
Delane has the potential to become a true shutdown corner on the outside, which makes him an incredibly appealing draft candidate. While the Commanders may have a more pressing need at wide receiver, especially with Deebo Samuel’s departure in free agency seeming inevitable, Commanders’ insider John Keim of ESPN recently predicted that Delane would be the pick for the team when it’s on the clock on Apr. 23.
“After signing (Amik) Robertson, Washington only has three experienced NFL corners under contract — along with Trey Amos and Mike Sainristil — and only Amos [6-foot-2] is taller than 5-foot-10,” Keim wrote. “All three could start but still, if nothing else, Washington needs more depth — and length, which makes LSU corner Mansoor Delane a possibility with their first-round pick.”
Should the Commanders Draft Mansoor Delane?
Mansoor Delane
GettyCornerback Mansoor Delane celebrates breaking up a pass.
With the No. 7 pick, the Commanders are obviously going to be hoping to land someone who can come in and be a starter for them right from the get-go. But even if Delane needs time to adjust to the NFL, just having him as another option who can get some snaps behind the team’s current trio of Robertson, Trey Amos, and Mike Sainristil would be a big help for Washington’s secondary.
Of course, there’s a decent chance that Delane could come in and immediately play on the outside for the Commanders in Week 1, which is really what the team needs right now. Washington has more avenues to find a No. 2 wide receiver than it does to find a No. 1 cornerback, and for that reason, Delane very well may be the most sensible selection for the Commanders if he’s still on the board by the time they are up to pick.