Coaches, scouts and executives say who Commanders should draft at No. 2

LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels (5)

Most coaches, scouts and executives still believe that the Washington Commanders shouldn’t think twice about making LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels the second pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, assuming the Chicago Bears take USC Trojans star Caleb Williams first overall.

“The Commanders have been tight-lipped, so it’s hard to say if they have a true lean,” team reporter John Keim writes. “But what is clear is that most of the coaches I’ve spoken with, as well as ex-coaches who still study prospects, say it should be LSU’s Jayden Daniels.”

Keim added that no coaches said Washington should select North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye over Daniels. Interestingly, he didn’t even mention Michigan Wolverines signal-caller J.J. McCarthy as an option for the Commanders.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported last week that “the signs continue to point to” Daniels being the second pick despite McCarthy’s alleged rising draft stock. However, ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller later noted that “enough sources around the NFL are whispering that McCarthy could very well be the second quarterback off the board that it has to be considered possible.”

Miller offered an update on the situation on Thursday.

“When I asked a dozen NFL scouts and executives about the selection, I kept hearing that Daniels is the most likely pick,” Miller explained. “That intel, of course, is from people outside the Commanders’ organization, so take it with a grain of salt, but it sounds like many people around the league believe the reigning Heisman Trophy winner will follow Williams off the board.”

As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Daniels as the betting favorite for the draft’s second selection at -165 odds. Maye was at +140, while McCarthy was at +400.

Also on Thursday, The Athletic’s Ben Standig shared how 17 “sources” polled ranked Daniels second among the quarterback prospects in this year’s draft class. Such information may matter little, though, if Commanders general manager Adam Peters is as high on McCarthy as some think.

In mock drafts updated on Wednesday, three CBS Sports analysts predicted Washington would take Daniels, and two linked the Commanders with Maye.

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