The 2024 NFL Draft is still a few months away, but mock draft season is in full swing and the Washington Commanders made a shocking selection at quarterback in the latest one from ESPN.
The Commanders currently sit at second overall in the NFL Draft order. The franchise cleaned house following an abysmal regular season by hiring a new general manager and firing head coach Ron Rivera.
Adam Peters, a respected name in league circles, accepted the general manager role earlier in the offseason. Head coaching interviews are underway, so an answer on that front should follow soon.
A position the Commanders must upgrade this offseason is one of the most important in the NFL, as starting quarterback Sam Howell, a 2022 fifth-round pick, got benched near the end of the regular season.
Kiper projects Daniels to Washington Commanders
Mel Kiper Jr., a long-time NFL Draft analyst with ESPN, released his latest mock draft on Monday. In it, Washington unsurprisingly selected a high-upside quarterback. However, the name took some fans aback.
Entering the offseason, USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye ranked in the top two on nearly every NFL Draft quarterback ranking. Both, according to scouts, have franchise cornerstone potential in the NFL.
But Jayden Daniels, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU, has thrown his hat in the race. Daniels came off the board after Williams but before Maye with the second overall pick in Kiper’s mock draft.
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Should the Commanders draft Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels with the 2nd pick? 👀@PFF_Sam | @TampaBayTre pic.twitter.com/lNL6XI0jqD
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The 23-year-old signal-caller burst onto the scene with a spectacular 2023 campaign. Daniels has since raised his draft stock, even surpassing Maye in Kiper’s latest rankings.
Daniels brings an impressive deep ball to the league, as Pro Football Focus graded the LSU product as an elite passer 20+ yards downfield.
Furthermore, Daniels excels as a runner when plays break down. In his final stint with the Tigers, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark on the ground.
Washington has an ample amount of weapons for any rookie quarterback. Terry McLaurin, in particular, is a proven commodity in the pass-catching department, having surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in four straight seasons.
The Commanders haven’t had a steady presence behind center since veteran Kirk Cousins departed for Minnesota in the 2018 offseason. Jayden Daniels will give the roster a chance at stability if this mock draft comes to fruition.