If you want a lesson in how competent front offices separate themselves during draft season, look at what the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders have done through two days of the 2026 NFL Draft.
From understanding value, manipulating the board, and filling real needs without forcing picks, they had it all in store for the fans. Two different approaches, same outcome. Both teams walked out of Day 2 looking winners.
Colts, Commanders Earn Praise for Maximizing Value Across the Board
Starting with Indy, Chris Ballard had his usual conservative script. The headline move came even before the picks, acquiring the elite corner Sauce Gardner and trading the No. 16 overall pick, a 2027 first-rounder, and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell to the Jets, rather than gambling on a rookie.
Gardner was a tone-setter. From here, they just needed to stack on value. Landing CJ Allen in Round 2 gave them a fast, instinctive second-level defender.
Allen backed that up with an 81.8 linebacker score and a B- grade on PFSN’s CFB LB Impact metrics.
Then came A.J. Haulcy in Round 3, a proven ballhawk who ranked No. 9 among safeties in PFSN’s CFB Safety Impact metrics.
That sequence stood out to PFSN analyst Ian Cummings during the live telecast of PFSN’s “Football Debate Club” Draft Show:
“The Indianapolis Colts landing CJ Allen and A.J. Haulcy are incredible value deals. Those are both players I would have taken at least a half-round earlier. It lines up with what I was thinking they would do. Haulcy is a strong safety complement to Camryn Bynum. The Colts played the board perfectly.”
Washington took a slightly different route but landed in the same place. General manager Adam Peters didn’t have a full slate of picks, but roster-building began earlier with the acquisition of Laremy Tunsil, giving their Year 2 quarterback, Jayden Daniels, a legitimate blindside anchor.
Then came the draft. At No. 7, they selected Sonny Styles, one of the most unique athletes in the class. His PFSN’s CFB LB Impact score sat at 78.6 with a C+ grade, but the physical profile and defensive range make him the centerpiece of the unit.
On Day 2, they added Antonio Williams, a polished route-runner who fits seamlessly into their passing game as a reliable chain-mover. He finished last season as the No. 38 overall-ranked weapon on the PFSN’s CFB WR Impact rankings.
Again, Cummings saw the same pattern:
“The Commanders getting Sonny Styles at No. 7 overall and then landing Antonio Williams in mid-round-3 is a win. Williams is a guy who I had ranked in my top-50, so I’m a big fan. Similar to the Colts, the Commanders played the board very well.”
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So, that’s the key takeaway. Neither team chased ‘need’ recklessly. Neither forced a pick just to fill a hole.
Indianapolis rebuilt its defense with proven production and elite talent. Washington protected its quarterback and added both defensive range and offensive reliability.
