The Washington Commanders landed a dynamic defender in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick. A former college safety, Styles transitioned to linebacker in 2024, becoming an All-American at his new position, and then had an NFL combine performance to remember.

The addition of Styles continued GM Adam Peters’ aggressive approach this offseason to get younger, faster and better on defense. Washington’s biggest defensive hole was at edge rusher. The Commanders signed Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson and Charles Omenihu in free agency. However, only Oweh is signed beyond the 2026 season — for now.

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While the 2026 NFL Draft is in the rearview mirror, it’s never too soon to look ahead to 2027. That’s precisely what ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid did this week, producing his first, way-too-early 2027 mock draft. In this way-too-early mock, Reid has the Commanders picking No. 11. He did not pick the draft order randomly; instead, he used the Super Bowl odds from DraftKings with a little tweak.

His pick for Washington? Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons.

The Commanders just drafted a dynamic linebacker in Sonny Styles, and Simmons could be their next defensive playmaker. He operated mainly from a two-point stance last season and had an SEC-leading 12 sacks. Simmons can accelerate in a hurry and uses sudden movements to get free of blockers. He’s a high-effort, energetic rusher who showcases strong hand swipes to clear the hands of linemen. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound edge rusher reminds me of the Falcons’ Jalon Walker. Establishing counter moves is the next step in Simmons’ development, as is increasing his lower-body strength to stand up better against the run.

The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Simmons is only 20 years old and was named first-team All-SEC and second-team All-American last season. He finished the 2025 season with 12 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss. In two college seasons, Simmons has 21 sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss. If he continues progressing at his current rate, Simmons could eventually become a top-five pick.

Reid had three quarterbacks going in the top five, led by Arch Manning at No. 1 overall. Overall, he had four quarterbacks going in the first round.

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The Commanders certainly hope to be picking much lower than No. 11 next year.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: NFL draft: Where do Washington Commanders pick in way-too-early mock?