3 bargain basement edge rushers Commanders could steal from 2025 NFL Draft

Boosting their talent at edge-rusher has to be at or near the top of the to-do list for the Washington Commanders in the 2025 NFL Draft, but they don't need to do it early in the process. There is a red flag attached to some of the edge defenders Adam Peters would likely take with the No. 29 overall pick.

Fortunately, a trio of unheralded edge rushers should still be within range of Peters on Day 3. One of the hidden gems of this class will likely be consigned to the later rounds because he's a small-school prospect who faced anything but elite competition throughout his collegiate career.

You can only dominate what's in front of you, and this pass-rushing natural did exactly that. He has a flair for pressure in common with another less-than-fancied edge in this class. An SEC rush end who fights the tag of being "too small" for the pros, despite coming from a big program.

Being undersized but still productive could be better than being considered untested. It's the knock on one late-to-the-party pass-rusher who only boasts a small sample size to wow scouts.

Here are the Day 3 pass-rushers Peters should keep on his radar.

Day 3 pass-rushers the Commanders should have on their draft radar

Commanders could draft David Walker

The best player on this list might be FCS star David Walker. Whatever the X-factor is for successful pass-rushers, he has it.

He posted "some of the most dominant football tape I've ever seen. Just playing on sandbox mode out there," according to The 33rd Team's James Foster.

The latter highlighted Walker winning with a nasty bull rush move, converting speed to power instantly, but this is just one weapon in his arsenal. The Central Arkansas prospect's "ability to create push from different alignments is what makes his profile so intriguing," according to The Draft Network's Ryan Fowler.

Variety yielded a ton of positive production for Walker. The 24-year-old registered 30 sacks in three years with the Bears.

Walker's detractors will always point to a lack of quality competition, but he proved at the Senior Bowl that he can hang with more upmarket would-be NFL rookies. In the process, Walker also convinced Foster he's a "Melvin Ingram/Brandon Graham type of player."

That's high praise considering Ingram went to three Pro Bowls and forced 16 fumbles. Meanwhile, Graham won two Super Bowls and recorded 76.5 sacks across an illustrious 15-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Neither Graham nor Ingram exceeded 6-foot-2. Walker merits comparison because he's 6-foot-1 and belies his lack of height with innate explosiveness and excellent leverage.

Those qualities make him a true game-wrecker at any level. Successfully rushing the passer is a niche skill that translates well to the pro game. Walker could be just as disruptive in the big league, provided he's put into the right scheme.

Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. would offer an optimal blueprint because their linemen play the run only on the way to the quarterback. They'd use Walker as an instant sub-package playmaker who would add some juice to the third-down defense.

He'd need a lot of refinement to develop into something more, but Walker could defy lowly draft status to become a regular contributor early for the Commanders and their front seven.

Commanders could draft Quandarrius Robinson

How does an edge-rusher with raw tools and smarts from a program as decorated as Alabama get projected to fall into the final two rounds of a draft? Well, in the case of Quandarrius 'Que' Robinson, the answer is alarmingly simple.

Robinson simply didn't get enough reps for the Crimson Tide to make believers out of his doubters. The problem was explained in detail by Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus:

Que Robinson has all the tools to win as a pass rusher at the next level, and his metrics — including an insane 24% pass-rush win rate — agree. So, why isn’t he a first-rounder? He clocked just 370 defensive snaps across his college career, a byproduct of being buried on the roster behind players such as future first-rounders Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner.Mason Cameron

Playing in Tuscaloosa equipped Robinson with what it takes to be part of a hybrid front defense like the one the Washington Commanders run. He can standup as a 3-4 outside linebacker or put his hand in the dirt as a traditional, or wide-angled defensive end.

Robinson ticks a lot of boxes for a team needing as much help on the edges as the Commanders, but scouts across the league needed to see more than just six sacks in three seasons as a starter. Numbers might not even be the only reason for teams to give him a wide berth.

There's also the not-so-small matter of his size or lack thereof. He's listed at just 236 pounds, creating genuine concerns about his ability to compete against larger, pro-tested offensive tackles.

Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. could scheme ways to keep Robinson out of the fray. Either by using him as a blitzing middle linebacker as part of pass-rush fronts or by overloading one side of the line to all but guarantee a matchup against a tight end or running back.

Robinson plays bigger than his size and is technically proficient. However, he needs to add some muscle to become anything other than a sub-package shock tactic for the Commanders.

Muscle isn't a problem for the last player on this list, but a lack of explosiveness is another matter.

Commanders could draft Ahmed Hassanein

Developing raw talent into something NFL-ready requires a lot of things. Good coaching, luck, and perhaps most of all, the right temperament from the player involved. This is something Ahmed Hassanein would offer the Washington Commanders as a potential rough diamond late in the 2025 NFL Draft.

A stud for Boise State, Hassanein took an unconventional path to football, a journey explained by Cameron's Dalton Wasserman from Pro Football Focus:

Hassanein is a late bloomer with an intriguing background. He grew up in Egypt competing in CrossFit and combat sports throughout his childhood. His transition to football has worked out tremendously, as he racked up 115 pressures and 24 sacks over his final two seasons at Boise State. He should be drafted on Day 3 by a team that feels it can continue to develop his burgeoning skills.Dalton Wasserman

The Commanders offer the right environment for Hassanein to build on what he started with the Broncos. Head coach Dan Quinn's presence as a passionate educator with more than his share of expertise about defensive line play would help. But so would learning from Washington's defensive line coach, Darryl Tapp, and pass rush specialist Ryan Kerrigan, a former player who needs no introduction to those following in his footsteps.

Both played on the edges in the NFL. Kerrigan, in particular, thrived more through hustle than dynamic athleticism. He'd see a kindred spirit in Hassanein, who is another high-motor type able to get stronger later in games.

Energy reserves and effort make up for the lack of nuance in Hassanein's rush plan. Even so, his potential and numbers are too good to ignore when teams go bargain-hunting in the later rounds.

Starting late, being undersized, and a lack of legitimate college experience are near the top of the list of reasons pass-rushers slide to the final day, but none of that should worry Quinn. He can point Adam Peters in the direction of more than one under-the-radar sack artist when the picks start pushing toward the 200s.

The Commanders might be thinking a little bolder. Several intriguing possibilities could be available at the end of round one if a trade-down partner doesn't come forward. Peters acknowledged it's a deep group, so he could have something else up his sleeve depending on how the board shakes out.

Regardless of which direction Peters goes, the Commanders have to emerge from the draft with an explosive pass-rushing force capable of making an immediate impact with a smooth transition. Nothing else will do.

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