When Washington past held the No. 2 in general decide on, gamers like Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert had been not real looking targets. Even though both equally have turn into effective in the execs, Washington had decided on Dwayne Haskins 15th all round in 2019. That tied Ron Rivera and Co. to the greatest non-QB accessible, which led to a Chase Young investment.
As a different new regime will take more than in Washington, the decks are clear for a quarterback. Dan Quinn effectively verified the workforce would leave this draft with a single, and though the new HC did not assurance that player would be selected at No. 2, the Commanders have a clear option — in what is thought to be a robust QB draft — to select their following starter with no supplying up property to do so. The issue that will type this draft’s route arrives following.
Which sign-caller ought to the Commanders opt for? Washington has been connected to 3 arms with the No. 2 option. With a Caleb Williams–Kliff Kingsbury reunion certainly interesting to the NFC East crew, that is virtually undoubtedly not an selection. With the Bears all but set to get started the draft with the USC standout, the Commanders have other choices worthy of the No. 2 slot. Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and the quickly-rising J.J. McCarthy have been tied to Washington. Barring one thing unexpected, a person of them will be the staff’s lengthy-term QB hopeful.
Maye arrived into past period near Williams’ stage, but immediately after a statistical phase backward in 2023, the North Carolina-designed expertise has produced issues. Quickly, Maye appears a substantial-variance prospect. Still, Sam Howell‘s Tar Heels QB1 successor dazzled as a redshirt freshman, throwing 38 landing passes to 7 interceptions. Maye accounted for 5,019 yards (698 dashing) in 14 online games in 2022. When significantly less prolific past 12 months (24 TDs, 9 INTs, 4,057 full yards — in 12 video games), the 6-foot-4, 223-pound prospect still delivers plus arm strength and upside. At 21, he is also additional than two several years more youthful than the other QB most regularly mocked to the Commanders.
Daniels, who will flip 24 before calendar year’s end, dominated as a senior to rise up prospect rankings lists. The Arizona Point out transfer accounted for 4,946 yards (1,134 dashing) and finished with a 40-4 TD-INT ratio in his next and last LSU year. Daniels’ frame is a slight problem, as he weighed 210 pounds at the Blend. His playing pounds could perfectly look at in south of that quantity. Daniels played 5 faculty seasons, capitalizing on his COVID calendar year. Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board places Daniels second, even though Daniel Jeremiah’s most current NFL.com rankings tab him sixth. Maye checks in sixth and fifth on these lists, respectively, introducing intrigue to this Commanders simply call.
Prior to his Heisman providing, Daniels was not anticipated to be an early-to start with-round decide. But McCarthy manufactured a far more stunning increase. Even in the days following Michigan’s countrywide championship gain, McCarthy was viewed as it’s possible a mid-initial-spherical alternative. That no for a longer time looks doable. Despite not putting up numbers that rivaled Maye’s or Daniels’ offerings, the nationwide championship-winning QB wowed evaluators at his pro working day. To go alongside with his precision in a pro-like system less than Jim Harbaugh, McCarthy now appears to be very likely to be a best-six select.
Numerous mocks have the 21-calendar year-aged prospect soaring to the No. 4 location via trade. A participant without having a 3,000-property passing period going that substantial would be pretty exceptional, nevertheless McCarthy exited quite a few games early last calendar year thanks to Wolverines dominance. He also finished his two-12 months starter operate with a 44-9 TD-INT ratio.
McCarthy surfaced as a prospect to go No. 2 overall last thirty day period, and a recent report lent guidance to the Michigan products’s rise reaching this issue. Neither Kiper nor Jeremiah have positioned that as most likely however, however their mocks disagree on the Maye-Daniels discussion. The Commanders joined the Patriots in acquiring the premier contingent at Maye’s professional working day, even though Daniels is coming to Washington for a 󈬎” stop by. As of late March, Daniels was considered to be in pole posture to go 2nd to Washington, and a the latest poll of NFL executives disclosed a 3-2 edge to the LSU alum in the Daniels-or-May perhaps discussion. Many teams will clearly have vested pursuits in how the Commanders commence, with the draft using form primarily based on which direction the NFC East group goes.
Washington is rebuilding. They could stockpile substantial draft capital — likely two upcoming initial-round picks — by investing down. This would probable not use to the Giants, as they would almost definitely need to have to uncover a distinct gateway into the top rated four, but a massive supply could prompt a assembly. But the Commanders have a very clear path to a top rated QB prospect now. Waiting could introduce future hurdles into their QB equation, just one that has not been stable considering that Kirk Cousins‘ two-franchise tag exit. And even that brought many headlines owing to the contractual breakdown.
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