The endless speculation continues regarding the Washington Commanders and the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Will the Commanders select North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, or Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy?
While the rumor mill speculated McCarthy seems like a pick that Washington general manager Adam Peters would make, the odds still favor Maye or Daniels to the Commanders.
Several NFL insiders have speculated about which quarterback Peters likes best or which fits offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s offense best. While the results are mixed, Daniels is generally the top choice.
But, according to longtime NFL writer Ralph Vacchiano, who covers the NFC East for FOX Sports, several NFL sources have told him they don’t see Maye sliding past Washington at No. 2.
In fact, multiple NFL sources said they don’t believe Maye will get past the Commanders at No. 2. Despite a lot of speculation that Daniels is a better fit for the scheme of new Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and a report that GM Adam Peters was eyeing McCarthy, there are many people around the NFL, who view those tidbits as smokescreens.
“I think we’re at the point where people are just overanalyzing and forgetting all the reasons why Maye is one of the two best quarterbacks in this draft,” said one NFL personnel executive. “He’s a big kid [6-foot-4, 223] with a big arm who can run. Sure, he can be inconsistent and he made some throws in college that he shouldn’t have tried.
Vacchiano is plugged in, having covered the Giants for years. Many call this time of year “lying season,” as teams like to hide their interest in specific players. If Maye is the guy for Washington, it would make no sense for Peters to reveal that information. As of now, the draft begins at No. 2, with the Bears expected to select USC quarterback Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall.
The Commanders have not likely made a final decision. They will use the next couple of weeks to host players on pre-draft visits and go over interviews before reconvening until a final decision is made.
At Maye’s pro day, it certainly looked like Peters and Dan Quinn were interested in Maye, but could that have been a smokescreen, too?
We still have 18 more days until the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.
