When the Commanders are on the clock at No. 2 overall, they are likely to host all three of the top quarterback prospects available. A favorite may have surfaced, even though the team still has a lot of work to do in the current assessment process.
There is disagreement over whether passer, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, or J.J. McCarthy, will be selected after Caleb Williams, who is most likely to be selected first overall. However, Daniels has witnessed an increase in his status during the pre-draft process following his 2023 Heisman-winning season. He is still very much in the running to go to the nation’s capital as a result.
Daniels is thought to be the most likely selection for the Commanders by NFL executives and scouts, according to ESPN’s Matt Miller. The team’s final choice won’t be known until the evening of Round 1, though, as none of the assessors surveyed for that evaluation are affiliated with the Commanders. Nevertheless, it is not shocking that Washington appears to be leaning toward choosing Daniels.
The Arizona State transfer studied at LSU for the previous two years. In 2023, he had by far his most productive season yet, with 50 touchdowns in all (40 passing, 10 rushing), a completion percentage of 72.6%, and just four interceptions. Daniels has garnered recognition for both his remarkable rushing totals and his ability to process information.
But at the end of his NFL rookie season, he will be 24 years old, raising questions about whether Maye or McCarthy has greater potential. Given his dual-threat skill set, concerns have been expressed about Daniels’ ability to handle the physicality of the professional game given the larger frames of the latter two players. Nevertheless, Daniels should have a high floor for his next team, and given the interest from other teams in need of a quarterback, it seems likely he won’t have to wait long to hear his name called.
Daniels, Maye, and McCarthy are all scheduled to visit Washington next week as part of a “top 30” delegation. After that, new head coach Dan Quinn, first-year general manager Adam Peters, and company will make their final decision about a new franchise signal-caller. Quinn has indicated that post-snap processing is a quality being sought after by the Commanders, as John Keim points out in the previously referenced ESPN article. This element may work in Daniels’ favor for the second overall pick, coupled with the expectations of players throughout the league.
