Jan. 26, 2026, 4:46 a.m. ET
It’s officially draft season, as all 32 NFL teams were represented in Frisco, Texas, this weekend for the East-West Shrine Bowl. One of those teams, the Washington Commanders, was in town meeting with prospects ahead of Tuesday’s game.
While meeting with several players is part of the evaluation process, you can begin to gauge a team’s interest in a specific player early on. According to draft analyst Ryan Fowler, the Commanders were showing “heavy attention” to one player.
That player was Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne. The 5-foot-9, 187-pound Claiborne played four years for the Demon Deacons, including the final two years as the full-time starter. In his last two seasons, Claiborne rushed for 1,956 yards, averaging almost five yards per attempt and rushed for 21 touchdowns. He earned All-ACC honors in 2024 and 2025.
While Claiborne will be knocked for his size, he actually withstood the rigors of being an every-down back over the last two years. Claiborne’s vision and patience stand out. So does his speed. There are several runs on his Wake Forest tape, where Claiborne presses the hole, makes his cut and is off to the races. Several NFL teams feature this type of back.
Claiborne is also a capable receiver, having caught 51 passes over the last two years. He was showing off those skills during a practice session at an East-West Shrine practice.
That type of versatility will help Claiborne throughout the draft process. Here’s an example of everything Claiborne does well, all on one play.
This was on a kickoff return, adding to his versatility. Washington could use Claiborne and Luke McCaffrey as its kick returners in 2026.
The Commanders have only one running back under contract for 2026: Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Austin Ekeler, Chris Rodriguez (restricted) and Jeremy McNichols are all free agents. They will be addressing the position, whether it’s in the NFL draft or free agency. Croskey-Merritt will figure into Washington’s plans, but it’s uncertain if the Commanders view him as an every-down option.
For a team planning to get “younger and faster,” adding Claiborne would go a long way toward making that happen.
Next up for the Commanders is the Senior Bowl. All teams will now head to Mobile, Alabama, for Senior Bowl week, which is a big week on the NFL calendar.
