My instant Washington draft reaction

April 28, 2026

by Steve Thomas

My instant, off the cuff reaction to Washington’s 2026 draft was that, overall, this was a very good effort.  This draft class filled team needs while finding players who were seemingly more highly rated than their draft status would suggest.  Not every need was filled of course, but that was never going to happen.  The big picture here is that Washington seems to have found players who have a good shot of becoming anything from a star – think Sonny Styles – to solid NFL players at positions in which Washington needed to get better.  That’s a win to me.

Steve’s overall instant, meaningless grade: A-  

Round 1, pick 7 – LB Sonny Styles, Ohio St. (6’5” / 244)

Styles spent four years at Ohio St, from 2022 to 2025.  He was originally a safety but was converted to linebacker in 2024.  Styles was named the starting safety in his sophomore 2023 season, and then was a starting linebacker in 2024 and 2025.  In total, he played 53 games, and made 244 tackles, including 133 solo and 22.5 for loss, with 9 sacks and 1 interception.  In 2025, he played 14 games and had 82 tackles, including 46 solo and 6.5 for loss, plus 1 sack and 1 interception.  Styles earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2024 and First-Team All-American honors in 2025.

At the NFL Combine, Styles ran the 40 yard dash in 4.46 seconds, jumped 43.5 inches in the vertical leap and 11’2” in the standing broad jump, and ran the 3-cone drill in 7.09 seconds and the 20-yard shuttle in 4.26 seconds.

Styles has elite athletic qualities and potential to be a plus-level starter or more in the NFL.  His experience as a safety bodes well for his ability to play in coverage.

Washington filled a major need in its linebacker group with this pick.  Washington, of course signed Leo Chenal and still has Frankie Luvu, and given their cap hits of each player – Chenal has a $4.3M hit and Luvu is at a whopping $11.3M – all three will need to play.  Styles is seen more as a weakside backer in a 3 – 4 than a strongside backer.  Chenal is probably better suited for the strongside.  Luvu can be a liability in coverage, so I don’t think he’s really a true weakside linebacker.  In my view, assuming Washington does convert to a 3 – 4, that essentially leaves both Chanel and Luvu on the strongside and Styles and the undisputed starter on the weakside.  Given the financial reality, Luvu will probably be the starter over Chanel.  The point is that Styles seems to have a clear path to being a third-down starter immediately, from day 1, which is appropriate given his  draft status.

Styles was the #2 player on my personal draft board (#3 if I include Arvell Reese), so I view this as an outstanding pick.  This essentially came down to Styles or Caleb Downs, and linebacker was a better need for Washington.

Steve’s instant, meaningless grade: A+

Round 3, pick 7 – WR Antonio Williams, Clemson (5’11” / 187)

Williams spend four years at Clemson from 2022 through 2025.  In that time, he played in a total of 43 games, and made 208 receptions for 2336 yards, 11.2 yards per reception, and 21 touchdowns.  In 2025, he played in 10 games and made 55 receptions for 604 yards, 11.0 yards per reception, and 4 touchdowns, and earned Third-team All-ACC honors.  His 2024 season was actually significantly better: in that season, he played in 14 games and had 75 receptions for 904 yards, 12.1 yards per reception, and 11 touchdowns, and earned First-team All-ACC honors.  A significant part of his downturn in 2025 was due to a hamstring injury.  At the NFL Combine, he was measured at 5’11” 1/2 and 187 pounds.  He ran the 40 yard dash in 4.41 seconds, jumped 39.5 inches in the vertical leap and 10’4” in the standing broad jump, and did 10 bench press reps at 225 pounds.

Williams isn’t necessarily known as an elite, deep vertical threat, but he’s a high-quality slot receiver who has the potential to be a starter in Washington, probably in the slot.  He will have competition on the roster from both Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane.  However, for his part, while McCaffrey hasn’t been “bad”, per se, he also hasn’t put much on film to suggest that he’s a starting-level player, either.  Thusfar, McCaffrey has given me the impression that he’s more of a possession receiver.  Therefore, if Williams can show more than that, then he’ll likely be elevated above McCaffrey.  For Lane’s part, he was certainly an outstanding punt returner as a rookie, but showed very little as a receiver.  Lane only had 32 targets and 16 receptions, which is just a 50% catch rate.  Lane is certainly explosive in the right situation, but I’m not convinced that he’s a starter at wide receiver.  As a result, Williams has a shot at earning a starting role on the team from day one.

It should be noted that while the concept of a “#2 receiver” is favorite discussion point amongst fans, that isn’t actually a formal term in football.  Certainly, Williams could become Daniels’ second-favorite target behind Terry McLaurin.  The fact that Williams appears to be primarily a slot receiver doesn’t change that at all.

This is a situation in which Washington found quality talent appropriate for the draft position.  Overall solid pick.

Steve’s instant, meaningless grade: A-

Round 5, pick 7 (147 overall): edge rusher Joshua Josephs, Tennessee (6’3” / 242)

Josephs spent four years at the University of Tennessee, playing in a total of 48 games, and made 104 total tackles, including 51 solo and 22 for loss, plus 9.5 sacks.  In 2025, he played in 11 and started games, and made 33 tackles, including 17 solo and 6 for loss, plus 4 sacks, and a 16.8% pressure percentage.  He was essentially a situational pass rusher for Tennessee in 2025.  He did not participate in the athletic tests at the NFL Combine.  However, he ran the 40 yard dash in 4.73 seconds at Tennessee’s Pro Day.  Analysts note that his 34 1/4 inch arm length is a benefit in pass rushing.

Without having watched his film, this seems like an odd pick – Washington drafted a situational pass rusher who doesn’t seem to have a significant history of collegiate success as a pass rusher, with only 11 sacks in 4 years.  I’m fine with the idea of drafting this position in round 5; at this point, almost anything is essentially a flyer, so drafting for need becomes less important.  It’s just that I don’t totally understand this particularly selection solely by virtue of his numbers.  This is a case in which we have to trust that the coaches and front office, who obviously know Josephs, have done their due diligence.

Steve’s instant, meaningless grade: C+

Round 6, pick 6 (187 overall): RB Kaytron Allen, Penn St. (5’11” / 216)

Allen played a total of 54 games in his four years at Penn St.  In total, he had 769 carries for 4180 yards, 5.4 yards per carry, and 39 touchdowns, plus 70 receptions for 490 yards, 7.0 yards per carry, and another 4 touchdowns.  In 2025, Allen played in 12 games, and had 210 carries for 1303 yards, 6.2 yards per carry, and 15 touchdowns, plus 18 receptions for 68 yards, for 3.8 yards per reception, and earned Second-team All-American honors.  At the NFL Combine, he was measured at 5’11” 3/8ths and 216 pounds, but did not run the 40 yard dash or the other athletic tests.  His 40 time is rumored to be a fairly wide range, somewhere between 4.45 and 4.6 seconds.

Washington clearly needed to draft a running back – in my view, this was the team’s biggest need by a fairly wide margin.  Allen appears to be a player who isn’t “evasive” in terms of moves, but rather is a one-cut, downhill back who has strength and can break tackles.  That’s exactly what Washington needs.  Nothing would help quarterback Jayden Daniels more than finding a running back who can reliably and consistently gain tough yards.  The team currently doesn’t have anyone like that.  In addition, some draft analysts think that Allen’s ability to pass block is a benefit as well.  This appears to be an outstanding pick at this point in the draft.

Steve’s instant, meaningless grade: A

Round 6, pick 28 (209 overall): C Matt Gulbin, Michigan St.

Gulbin spent a total of 5 years in college, including 4 years at Wake Forest from 2021 through 2024 and then with Michigan St. in 2025.  During that time, he played in a total of 51 games, including 34 starts in 3 seasons.  He earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2023 and Second-Team All-American honors with Michigan St. in 2025.

Gulbin was measured at 6’3” 5/8ths and 305 pounds at the NFL Combine, with an arm length of 31 3/4 inches.

Don’t be surprised if Gulbin is starting at center for Washington in a couple of years.  He strikes me as the kind of hardnosed, old-fashioned NFL lineman that will do well after a couple of years of development.  Certainly, for now, Nick Allegretti has the starting job locked down, for multiple reasons including financial, but that won’t be true after 2027, at a minimum.

Steve’s instant, meaningless grade: A+

Round 7, pick 7 (223 overall); QB Athan Kaliakmanis, Rutgers

Kaliakmanis spent a total of 5 years in college, including 3 seasons at Minnesota from 2021 through 2023 and two years at Rutgers in 2024 and 2025.  He redshirted in 2021.  During that time, he played in a total of 48 games, including 23 at Minnesota and 25 at Rutgers, and completed 658 passes in 1168 attempts, for a 56.3% completion percentage, 8604 yards, 7.4 yards per attempt, 55 touchdowns, and 27 interceptions.  Kaliakmanis started for part of the 2023 season and in all of 2024 and 2025.  In 2025, he played in 12 games, and made 229 completions in 368 attempts, for a 62.2% completion percentage, 3124 yards, 8.5 yards per attempt, 20 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions.

For those fans who wanted some other position of need with this pick, I’d point out that the team also needs a legitimate third string quarterback.  The fact of the matter is that Sam Hartman hasn’t shown anything on the field to suggest that he has the ability to eventually become Washington’s backup quarterback.  Exhibit A is the fact that Washington felt the need to go out and sign Josh Johnson rather than let Hartman be the third string quarterback, and then started Johnson over Hartman towards the end of the season when Daniels and Marcus Mariota were both hurt.

Bringing in Kaliakmanis to challenge Hartman, with the cost being only a seventh round pick, seems like a wise move.  Kaliakmanis didn’t have great collegiate stats, so it’s not immediately evident that he’s going to work out.  That having been said, he seems to have a great attitude, so I’m happy that the team gave him a shot.  This was a solid pick in that regard.  There were a number of quarterbacks who were more highly rated by draft analysts who were available at this pick, including Garrett Nussmeier from LSU, Sawyer Robertson from Baylor, and Jaylon Daniels from Kansas.  That having been said, it appears from the video put out by Washington’s media team that the front office really liked Kaliakmanis.  He seems like a very motivated, likeable guy who is excited about his opportunity.  We’ll see whether they are right.

Steve’s instant, meaningless grade: B