Commanders Brass Descends on Columbus to Scout Buckeye Standouts as Draft Plans Take Shape

Ashburn, Va. – With the 2026 NFL Draft less than a month away, the Washington Commanders are turning to one of college football’s most reliable pipelines for help. General manager Adam Peters, assistant GM Lance Newmark, head coach Dan Quinn, offensive coordinator David Blough, and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones will all be in Columbus on Wednesday for Ohio State’s Pro Day, according to NFL analyst Ryan Fowler.

The heavy front-office presence underscores the urgency inside Northwest Stadium after a 5-12 season that followed an NFC Championship appearance. Injuries derailed the roster, leaving the defense ranked among the league’s worst and the passing game searching for consistency. Free-agency moves plugged some holes, but Peters has repeatedly said the roster still “needs a jolt of talent.”

Washington currently owns two of the first 100 selections in the draft, including the No. 7 overall pick, and the Buckeyes could offer immediate solutions. Linebacker Arvell Reese, safety Caleb Downs, wide receiver Carnell Tate, linebacker Sonny Styles, and defensive tackle Kayden McDonald are all candidates to come off the board in the opening round, extending Ohio State’s streak to 11 consecutive drafts with at least one first-rounder.

Downs, who skipped athletic testing at the combine, is the marquee name for scouts on Wednesday. The 2025 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Jim Thorpe Award winner earned unanimous All-American honors in back-to-back seasons and projects as a top-10 selection. Reese and Styles address a linebacker corps that struggled with health and production last fall, while Tate could add explosiveness to an inconsistent receiving corps. McDonald’s interior presence would help a defensive line that finished near the bottom of most pressure metrics.

By sending its full decision-making structure to Columbus, Washington hopes to collect cross-checked evaluations on each prospect, ensuring the franchise is aligned when the draft kicks off in Pittsburgh on April 23. The trip also signals that the Commanders view the Buckeyes’ talent pool as a potential centerpiece of their early-round strategy rather than a fallback option.

Washington will return to Ashburn after the workout to finalize its draft board, but the impressions made in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center could resonate well into draft night.