From the DMV to the NFL: Local Standouts Selected in the 2026 NFL Draft

By Noah Ploff. Photos by Clarence Rucker III.

The DMV has long been one of the country’s strongest pipelines for football talent, producing NFL stars such as Stefon Diggs and Russell Wilson, along with more recent standouts including Chop Robinson and Deonte Banks.

The 2026 NFL Draft continued that tradition, with several players from Maryland, D.C. and Virginia connections hearing their names called and taking the next step toward professional careers. From first-round talent to Day 3 underdog stories, this year’s draft once again showed how much high-level football talent comes through the region.

First off the board, from Silver Spring, Maryland, was LSU star cornerback, Mansoor Delane. Delane was selected No. 6 overall by the Kansas City Chiefs. He originally attended high school at Landon School, before transferring his sophomore year to Archbishop Spalding for the remainder of his high school career. Delane was a solid high school player and was the number 55 corner in the class of 2022. He obtained offers from several schools, including Maryland, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan State, and more before eventually deciding to commit to Virginia Tech.

Delane spent three years at Virginia Tech, racking up six interceptions, along with 22 passes defended. Delane’s accolades at Virginia Tech include Third-Team All-ACC honors as a freshman, being named a True Freshman All-American by 247Sports, as well as a bowl win in 2023 over Tulane.

In January of 2025, he made the decision to transfer to LSU, where he’d really breakout and become a star. During his senior season at LSU, Delane played in 11 games, where he totaled 45 tackles, two interceptions, 11 pass breakups, and 13 passes defended. An unbelievable stat from 2025 was that Delane allowed zero touchdowns and committed zero penalties. That is almost unheard of in the world of college football. Delane was awarded First Team ALL-SEC, Unanimous All-America, and was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe award, which is awarded to the nation’s top defensive back.

When Delane was being interviewed after being drafted by the Chiefs, he stated to the Washington Commanders, “Mr. Peters you’re a little too late. They made a great decision coming up and getting a dog.” Being a native of the DMV, there is always the dream of being drafted by the Ravens or the Commanders. He made it clear that he’d make the Commanders regret not trading up to select him.

The next player taken from the DMV was Jaishawn Barham, who attended Saint Frances Academy, and played linebacker for Maryland and Michigan. Barham was a four-star prospect out of high school and the 11th best linebacker in the class of 2022. He had 23 offers and ultimately signed with Maryland where he became an immediate starter. Barham would finish his first two seasons with Maryland tallying 95 tackles, along with nine and a half tackles for loss, and seven sacks. Barham was named honorable mention All-Big Ten, and a freshman All-American.

He would then transfer to Michigan for his final two seasons, where he would rack up 98 tackles, to go along with 13.5 tackles for loss, and five sacks. Barham was selected No. 92 overall in the third round to the Dallas Cowboys. Barham brings to the league a player who has a large frame, but is shifty and strong in coverage, and pressuring the quarterback.

One of the draft’s notable risers from the region was Jalen Huskey. Huskey was third off the board from the DMV and a Montgomery County native, who played his high school football at Quince Orchard high school, where he led their defense to two state championships. Huskey would commit to Bowling Green over schools like Duke and Navy.

Moderately MOCO also received draft night photos of Jalen Huskey from photographer Clarence Rucker III (twotonemed1a on IG), capturing the emotion of a local standout’s next step from Quince Orchard and Maryland to the NFL.

Huskey remained at Bowling Green for his freshman and sophomore years, before transferring to Maryland. In his freshman year he didn’t play too often, but in his sophomore year, he started all 12 games and picked up 52 tackles and four interceptions.

For his final two years of college, Huskey would be a starter at Maryland and played in all 24 games those two years. Huskey was not only putting in the work on gameday, as his teammates voted him to be one of the three permanent captains. He thrived during his time at Maryland with 117 tackles and seven interceptions.

Huskey was expected to be a sixth or seventh round pick, but was selected with the 100th pick of the NFL Draft to the Jaguars in the third round. Huskey will carry with him levels of leadership and responsibility, as well as his physical skills to help him have a successful NFL career.

Next, an underdog story. A receiver who went from being a 0-star recruit, to becoming a fourth-round draft pick in the NFL Draft. Elijah Sarratt went to Saint Francis Academy, who we see as a top team in the country every year, and has so much talent coming out of there. Many of those players are top ranked prospects, but not Sarratt. Sarratt ended high school with no offers, and enrolled at Saint Francis University, in Pennsylvania.

His freshman year, he had 42 receptions, for 700 yards, and 13 touchdowns. After a solid start, Sarratt would transfer to James Madison University, where he’d have a huge year. In his sophomore season with the Dukes, he would come up with 82 receptions for 1191 yards, and eight touchdowns.

When his head coach for the Dukes was offered the same position at Indiana, Sarratt followed him there and played his junior and senior seasons as a Hoosier. Sarratt had a solid junior year, and last year as a senior caught a career high 15 touchdowns, and was a big part of why Indiana went undefeated and won the national championship.

Sarratt continued his underdog story and was selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens with the 115th pick.

The first defensive end from the DMV to be selected in the draft was Wesley Williams from Haymarket, Virginia. Williams played tight end and defensive end in high school, and was recruited for both. Ultimately, Williams committed to Duke and played as a defensive end all four of his years there. Williams was a threat on defense, as well as on special teams, as he blocked five kicks during his college career. 

Williams redshirted his freshman year and appeared in one game. He was solid his sophomore and senior years, but where he really shined and was at his true potential was in his junior year. Over the course of his junior year, Williams totaled 48 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and a team lead of seven and a half sacks. Williams was drafted in the fourth round, selected 119th overall by the Jaguars.

In the fifth round, with the 151st pick of the NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers selected Zakee Wheatley. Wheatley attended Archbishop Spalding along with top corner in the draft Mansoor Delane. Wheatley was a highly recruited prospect coming out of high school, with 24 offers, from schools like Penn State, Michigan, and Duke. Wheatley decided to commit to Penn State in April of 2020.

Wheatley only appeared in four games as a freshman, earning himself a redshirt. He started his freshman year as a cornerback, but by the time his second season came around, he had converted to safety. Wheatley spent the four remaining years at Penn State as a safety. His freshman and sophomore seasons were very solid, but he started to make a name for himself in his junior and senior seasons. Over his last two seasons combined, Wheatley racked up 170 tackles and four interceptions, which is exceptional as a safety.

The DMV continues to be the birthplace of stars, and these are just a few of the players that were selected in this year’s NFL Draft. That doesn’t even count the many players who were signed as undrafted free agents. As this season plays out, and the many after it, we will be cheering all these players on and will be witnessing the many great things that they have yet to do.

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