Quarterback Jayden Daniels has heard his name connected with the Washington Commanders in the NFL Draft that he’s probably not even going to be surprised when the moment comes on Thursday night and he officially becomes a professional quarterback in the DMV.
Of course, that outcome for Daniels and the Commanders hasn’t actually been written in stone yet, but one of the biggest and final dominoes to fall in professional projections has finally fallen.
For most – if not all – of the draft buildup NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah has been steadfast in projecting North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye to Washington. And the projection certainly makes sense.
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is projected to land with the Washington Commanders in the NFL Draft.
SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA
So too, however, does projecting Daniels, which is what Jeremiah did in his final mock draft of the year.
“As we come down the home stretch, the whispers of Washington’s preference for Daniels have become a roar,” Jeremiah said about the predicted No. 2 overall pick. “I’m sure the Commanders have had suitors looking to acquire this pick — including the Raiders — but I don’t see GM Adam Peters passing on the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.”
For Commanders fans who have been dreaming of seeing Daniels’ big-play ability suiting up in burgundy and gold it’s about as close to the dream being realized until the name is called as they can get.
But that’s not the only good news in Jeremiah’s mock.
“I can’t imagine the Commanders are going to sit back at No. 36 and hope that fate lands them a top offensive tackle early in Round 2, given the expectation that there will be a run on them in the first round,” Jeremiah continues after mock trading Washington back into the first round at pick No. 19 to take offensive tackle Amarius Mims from Georgia. “They could and should be aggressive to move up for a premium prospect at the position. Based on my discussions with college programs and NFL teams, Washington has done a lot of work on the top OTs in the class. Poised to make a first-round pick for the first time since 2016, Rams GM Les Snead has a chuckle and trades out once again. This deal could net him the 36th and 40th picks in the draft if he gives up a third-rounder in the swap.”
Trading out of the second round altogether to get another first round pick and a fourth third round pick may seem a bit steep at the time of the trade.
But if Daniels and Mims become two members of a new era of winning in Washington nobody is going to care about the cost in the long run.
Stick with CommanderGameday for more coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the NFL Draft
