Jordyn Tyson Kelsey Grant/GettyImages

Shock 2026 mock draft links Commanders to game-breaking wide receiver

Originally posted on Riggo's Rag | By Ryan McCafferty | Last updated Jul 12, 2025 10:00 AM ET

When is it too early to start talking about next year's NFL Draft? The answer, from a writer's standpoint, is never.

It's the middle of July. Free agency has all but come to a standstill, and offseason workouts are now complete until training camp. Let's face it, there's not much happening in the NFL world, so we might as well look ahead.

The Washington Commanders will have high expectations in 2025 after their surprise run to the NFC Championship, meaning that ideally they'll be selecting near the end of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. One name has already emerged as an early option.

Bleacher Report mocks Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson to the Commanders at No. 27

This week, Brent Sobleski from The Bleacher Report put together a mock draft and also examined some of the top high school prospects who could take college football by storm. This is a slightly different concept from most ordinary mocks, as it frames the draft as if it were the MLB or NHL formats, where teams are incentivized to take long-term swings on players who aren't necessarily pro-ready or, in this case, pro-eligible.

Nevertheless, the projected pick for the Commanders with the No. 27 overall pick is a player who will be eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft and should be one of the top players at his position in the class. That would be Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, described by Sobleski as "A natural separator with the ability to create after the catch."

Wide receiver isn't a position of immediate need right now for the Commanders, but it could be by the time the 2025 season is in the books. Depending on how Terry McLaurin's contract holdout plays out, there is a chance he won't be in Washington by 2026. Trade acquisition Deebo Samuel Sr. is also on an expiring deal, so he will need to bounce back from his disappointing 2024 campaign to be retained.

Both players are also 29 years old and will be on the wrong side of 30 by next spring. This marks a need for a long-term weapon who can grow with quarterback phenom Jayden Daniels.

There's still a full season of college football ahead to determine who the best options as that weapon might be, but if Tyson can build on a campaign in which he caught 75 passes for 1,101 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, he'll be right in the mix.