When Washington last held the No. 2 overall pick, players like Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert were not realistic targets. Although both have become successful in the pros, Washington had chosen Dwayne Haskins 15th overall in 2019. That tied Ron Rivera and Co. to the best non-QB available, which led to a Chase Young investment.
As another new regime takes over in Washington, the decks are clear for a quarterback. Dan Quinn effectively confirmed the team would leave this draft with one, and while the new HC did not guarantee that player would be chosen at No. 2, the Commanders have a clear opportunity — in what is believed to be a strong QB draft — to select their next starter without giving up assets to do so. The question that will form this draft’s path comes next.
Which signal-caller should the Commanders choose? Washington has been connected to three arms with the No. 2 choice. With a Caleb Williams–Kliff Kingsbury reunion obviously appealing to the NFC East team, that is almost definitely not an option. With the Bears all but set to start the draft with the USC standout, the Commanders have other options worthy of the No. 2 slot. Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and the fast-rising J.J. McCarthy have been tied to Washington. Barring something unexpected, one of them will be the team’s long-term QB hopeful.
Maye came into last season near Williams’ level, but after a statistical step backward in 2023, the North Carolina-developed talent has generated questions. Suddenly, Maye appears a high-variance prospect. Still, Sam Howell‘s Tar Heels QB1 successor dazzled as a redshirt freshman, throwing 38 touchdown passes to seven interceptions. Maye accounted for 5,019 yards (698 rushing) in 14 games in 2022. While less prolific last year (24 TDs, nine INTs, 4,057 total yards — in 12 games), the 6-foot-4, 223-pound prospect still brings plus arm strength and upside. At 21, he is also more than two years younger than the other QB most frequently mocked to the Commanders.
Daniels, who will turn 24 before year’s end, dominated as a senior to rise up prospect rankings lists. The Arizona State transfer accounted for 4,946 yards (1,134 rushing) and finished with a 40-4 TD-INT ratio in his second and final LSU season. Daniels’ frame is a slight concern, as he weighed 210 pounds at the Combine. His playing weight may well check in south of that number. Daniels played five college seasons, capitalizing on his COVID year. Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board places Daniels second, while Daniel Jeremiah’s latest NFL.com rankings tab him sixth. Maye checks in sixth and fifth on those lists, respectively, adding intrigue to this Commanders call.
Prior to his Heisman offering, Daniels was not expected to be an early-first-round pick. But McCarthy made a more surprising rise. Even in the days following Michigan’s national championship win, McCarthy was viewed as maybe a mid-first-round choice. That no longer looks possible. Despite not posting numbers that rivaled Maye’s or Daniels’ offerings, the national championship-winning QB wowed evaluators at his pro day. To go along with his accuracy in a pro-like system under Jim Harbaugh, McCarthy now seems likely to be a top-six pick.
Many mocks have the 21-year-old prospect rising to the No. 4 spot via trade. A player without a 3,000-yard passing season going that high would be quite rare, though McCarthy exited several games early last year due to Wolverines dominance. He also finished his two-year starter run with a 44-9 TD-INT ratio.
McCarthy surfaced as a candidate to go No. 2 overall last month, and a recent report lent support to the Michigan product’s rise reaching this point. Neither Kiper nor Jeremiah have placed that as likely yet, though their mocks disagree on the Maye-Daniels debate. The Commanders joined the Patriots in having the largest contingent at Maye’s pro day, while Daniels is coming to Washington for a “30” visit. As of late March, Daniels was believed to be in pole position to go second to Washington, and a recent poll of NFL executives revealed a 3-2 edge to the LSU alum in the Daniels-or-May debate. Several teams will obviously have vested interests in how the Commanders proceed, with the draft taking shape based on which direction the NFC East team goes.
Washington is rebuilding. They could stockpile considerable draft capital — likely two future first-round picks — by trading down. This would likely not apply to the Giants, as they would almost definitely need to find a different gateway into the top four, but a big offer could prompt a meeting. But the Commanders have a clear path to a top QB prospect now. Waiting could introduce future hurdles into their QB equation, one that has not been stable since Kirk Cousins‘ two-franchise tag exit. And even that brought numerous headlines due to the contractual breakdown.
How will Washington proceed at 2? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this pivotal decision in the comments section.
It’s going to be Maye or Daniels. Anything else is a smokescreen or writers needing clicks.
Why not McCarthy to the Bears with the number 1 pick?
Seriously?
Because they are taking the better talent in Caleb Williams. Just like last year Will Levis was never a serious consideration for pick 1 despite the rumors.
For the same reasons as the other dozen times you’ve asked why not McCarthy to the Bears with the number 1 pick.
Why stop there? If it were up to the sports media, he would be elected president in the next election too
Needs another voting option:
“Bugger The Pick”
That option is there, disguised as Drake Maye
The Harris group was expected to be a vast improvement over Snyder but have they done anything so far this off season that might actually move the needle in a positive way? They’ll use that #2 pick on a QB who will suffer the same kind of beatdown Howell received.
I’m guessing you just woke up.
This is the same ownership group as “Trust the process.” Those aren’t the people trying to do things as quickly as possible. And while their line still needs a lot of work, few QBs bring beatdowns on themselves like Howell does.
From my experience “Trust the process” is a catch phrase thrown out there by people whose real intent is to hoodwink everyone and make excuses for as long as possible. Perhaps if they adopted the “Future is Now” approach of George Allen they might have more success.
I thought trust the process was something people say to make fun of the 76ers?
What makes Maye a significantly better prospect than Howell?
Howell never saw the field or handled the pocket all that well. He turns the ball over more and he’s a sack magnet–in part because he scrambles at the drop of the hat. And while Howell’s always had a good deep ball, Maye does more things that seem likely to translate to the pro game, like throwing over the middle and creating plays out of structure instead of just running or playing hero ball.
I think that’s a good point which to me hints at them taking JD
Because Howell’s got the same alma mater and skin color as a guy a different regime took in the fifth round?
Because if the guy you traded is similar to the college guy, why draft the college guy? Keep your guy and draft another position of need. But I think you already know that.
My point is that Maye is a much better prospect, which means they’re not all that similar. Both being white guys who went to UNC doesn’t make them that similar. There’s a reason Howell fell to the fifth round in a draft with no quarterbacks and Maye is going to go high in a draft with many.
And the second best QB in the league was the last pick in the draft. Scouting and prospects are like throwing darts blindfolded. Bad teams drafting good prospects = losing results, because no player can make up for management level incompetence.
lol. Brock Purdy is not the second best QB in football.
They should go for a kicker since they’ll be doing so much of it.
*punter
#2 for #4 and murray
I was actually on board the Maye team until I considered their respective ages. The Harris group famously “trusted the process” in Philly. Maybe that was circumstantial, hut obviously Harris is not unwilling to be patient in a rebuild. Even if it weren’t him here, NFL teams seem to highly value youth in prospects. Quarterbacks can play forever these days, but comparing Maye’s 21 to Daniels’ 24 seems to swing the needle back to Maye for me right now. I personally like experience in a QB, provided he has the other necessary traits, but youth has historically been preferable for a lot of teams.
Merril Hoge hates Drake Maye claiming he’ll get his Coach fired…
I can remember Merrill Hoge saying Brian Brohm was the future QB in Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers was toast. He just throws stupid s**t out there and hopes no one remembers he’s wrong most of the time. He is walking CTE.
Chris Simms rates Maye as the 6th best QB in the draft. J.T. O’Sullivan does not like what he sees from Maye either. I’m not a QB expert but I respect these two when it comes to QB evaluation.
You respect Chris Simms’ QB evaluations? Yikes.
Chris Simms is an abject idiot.
To be fair, this is probably Chris’ burner account.
For the first time in over three decades, there’s a coaching staff that has some proper experience in teaching players especially the Quarterback. Whoever they pick I’m good with it.
Who exactly are you referencing?