When it comes to what the Washington Commanders are going to do with the No. 2 overall pick, now that we know general manager Adam Peters doesn’t seem too interested in trading out of that spot, a lot of us in the media are either going to look really tuned in, or really silly.
That’s because most of us believe the Commanders and LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels make too much sense to have not happen, and it’s been that way for a while now.
Even those who believe in their own evaluation that North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye is the best fit or even better longterm answer for Washington are starting to lean toward the Daniels side of things as we get closer to the big day.
LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels speaking at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
And you can count NFL.com’s own draft expert Daniel Jeremiah among them, almost.
“I’ve been connecting them to Drake Maye for a long time. I just felt like that fit there – I think about (coach Dann Quinn) going to a Super Bowl with (former Atlanta Falcons quarterback) Matt Ryan, and what Matt Ryan was coming out – strengths, weaknesses, and I thought it actually married up pretty well with Drake,” Jeremiah said in his annual meeting with media before the NFL Draft. “So that had been my connection there. But in talking to coaches and executives around the league, they’re overwhelmingly convinced around the league that this is Jayden Daniels, that this is going to be the pick there at No. 2.”
That’s about as close to Jeremiah projecting Daniels to the Commanders in the first round as we’re going to get at this point, we think. At least until he drops his final mock draft before Thursday night.
Though we wouldn’t be surprised to see Daniels at No. 2 when that time comes.
Still, there are questions, and even those who appear supremely confident in the pick undoubtedly have a nagging ‘what if’ tugging at the back of their mind.
“In terms of what they’re going to do, honestly, I’ve known Adam forever. He’s not going to say a word,” Daniels also said of what might happen at No. 2. “I think all of us are going to find out who they’re picking once they get on the clock and turn the card there in Detroit.”
Jeremiah concluded his thoughts on the matter saying, “That seems to be the expectation from folks around the league, but again I don’t think–I think anybody that said they know exactly what Washington is doing is lying because I don’t think Adam’s saying a word.”
