The Commanders are projected to select a quarterback second overall, but three candidates are in place to become the team’s next franchise passer. By the time the draft takes place, all three will have made a visit to the nation’s capital.
McCarthy entered the pre-draft process as part of the second tier of passers behind the Williams-Maye-Daniels trio. The Michigan product has seen his stock soar in recent weeks, however, owing in large part to an impressive showing at his Pro Day. A report from last month indicated McCarthy could be in play at second overall, and Washington’s interest in an in-person visit certainly suggests that is still the case.
Helping lead the Wolverines to an undefeated season and a national title, McCarthy was not leaned on heavily by Michigan’s run-first offense. His performances in workouts along with his age (21) has led to strong projections based on his upside, though. As is the case with Daniels and Maye, opinions are split amongst NFL evaluators regarding where McCarthy should (and will) end up being selected later this month.
A survey of various active and former general managers, scouts, coaches and ex-players who are now analysts conducted by The Athletic’s Ben Standig slotted McCarthy as the class’ fourth-best quarterback (subscription required). Two of those who were polled ranked him second overall, however, and it will be interesting to see which assessments match the one ultimately made by Commanders’ new regime.
First-year general manager Adam Peters, new head coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury will be key players in the decision-making process at No. 2 overall. Washington has Marcus Mariotain place, but a rookie selected with the team’s top pick would have the chance to earn the starting gig right away. Passers with more college experience will be on the board when the time comes to make a selection, but McCarthy will nevertheless receive consideration.
As the 2024 draft nears, numerous picks have already changed hands. A handful of picks have already been moved twice, with a few being traded three times. Multiple deals from 2021 impact this draft. Here are the 2024 picks to have been traded thus far:
Green Bay would have collected New York’s 2024 first had Rodgers played 65% of the Jets’ 2023 offensive snaps, but his Week 1 Achilles tear scuttled that prospect
Texans acquired Vikings‘ second-rounder (No. 42) in March 2024
Saints nabbed Broncos‘ second (No. 45) in January 2023 deal for Sean Payton‘s rights
Eagles collected Saints‘ second-rounder (No. 50) in April 2022 trade
Round 3
Cardinals picked up Titans‘ 2024 third (No. 71) in deal that allowed Tennessee to draft QB Will Levisat No. 33
In contention to become the No. 2 overall pick, Drake Maye will meet with the team holding that selection soon. The two-year North Carolina starter will head to Washington for a meeting next week.
The Commanders will use a “30” visit on Maye, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicating the high-end QB prospect will be in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Maye’s visit will come shortly after Jayden Daniels‘; the 2023 Heisman winner will meet with the Commanders from Monday-Tuesday.
Washington and New England sent the largest contingents to Chapel Hill for Maye’s recent pro day. This upcoming visit with Sam Howell‘s Tar Heels successor will do plenty to determine which direction the Commanders go at No. 2. With J.J. McCarthy also potentially in the mix for that spot, Washington has a rather complex decision on its hands. That said, holding the second overall pick in this draft is quite the luxury, as a few other QB-needy teams will need to part with considerable assets to move into the top four for a passer.
Maye being Howell’s UNC backup to start his career brings an interesting wrinkle, though the coaching staff, lead front office decision-maker and owner are different from when the team committed to Howell as its starter. Though, multiple front office bastions (Martin Mayhew, Marty Hurney) are still in place from the Ron Rivera period, which produced a fifth-round Howell pick in 2022. But new FO chief Adam Peters is running the show for Josh Harris‘ team now. The Commanders traded Howell to the Seahawks last month, clearing the way for a Harris-Peters-Dan Quinn QB draftee.
A recent Giants-Maye rumor emerged recently, and new Vikings QBs coach Josh McCown mentored Maye in high school. The Patriots have certainly been closely connected to the standout ACC passer. But the Commanders can render all of this moot by choosing the 6-foot-4 QB second overall (assuming the Bears follow through on their long-expected Caleb Williams choice at 1).
Maye brings some advantages on Daniels, being more than two years younger and bringing a more prototypical QB build into the equation. Maye will turn 22 this summer, while Daniels will be 24 before his rookie season ends. Maye weighed 223 pounds at the Combine, while Daniels measured 210. Daniels, of course, dominated as a runner during his Heisman season, surpassing 1,100 yards on the ground. Maye, however, posted a 698-yard rushing season in his 2022 breakout campaign — one that included 4,321 passing yards and a 38-7 TD-INT ratio. In 12 games last season, Maye was slightly less impressive (3,608, 24-9). And the strong-armed prospect has generated criticism as more of a boom-or-bust prospect ahead of the draft.
Of course, Maye may have looked better as a prospect had he played five college seasons like Daniels did. As it stands, the Commanders will need to measure Maye’s two seasons as a primary college starter against Daniels’ four. With McCarthy also factoring in, Washington’s decision promises to be one of the most interesting QB calls in recent draft history.
When Washington last held the No. 2 overall pick, players like Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert were not realistic targets. Although both have become successful in the pros, Washington had chosen Dwayne Haskins 15th overall in 2019. That tied Ron Rivera and Co. to the best non-QB available, which led to a Chase Young investment.
As another new regime takes over in Washington, the decks are clear for a quarterback. Dan Quinn effectively confirmed the team would leave this draft with one, and while the new HC did not guarantee that player would be chosen at No. 2, the Commanders have a clear opportunity — in what is believed to be a strong QB draft — to select their next starter without giving up assets to do so. The question that will form this draft’s path comes next.
Which signal-caller should the Commanders choose? Washington has been connected to three arms with the No. 2 choice. With a Caleb Williams–Kliff Kingsbury reunion obviously appealing to the NFC East team, that is almost definitely not an option. With the Bears all but set to start the draft with the USC standout, the Commanders have other options worthy of the No. 2 slot. Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and the fast-rising J.J. McCarthyhave been tied to Washington. Barring something unexpected, one of them will be the team’s long-term QB hopeful.
Maye came into last season near Williams’ level, but after a statistical step backward in 2023, the North Carolina-developed talent has generated questions. Suddenly, Maye appears a high-variance prospect. Still, Sam Howell‘s Tar Heels QB1 successor dazzled as a redshirt freshman, throwing 38 touchdown passes to seven interceptions. Maye accounted for 5,019 yards (698 rushing) in 14 games in 2022. While less prolific last year (24 TDs, nine INTs, 4,057 total yards — in 12 games), the 6-foot-4, 223-pound prospect still brings plus arm strength and upside. At 21, he is also more than two years younger than the other QB most frequently mocked to the Commanders.
Daniels, who will turn 24 before year’s end, dominated as a senior to rise up prospect rankings lists. The Arizona State transfer accounted for 4,946 yards (1,134 rushing) and finished with a 40-4 TD-INT ratio in his second and final LSU season. Daniels’ frame is a slight concern, as he weighed 210 pounds at the Combine. His playing weight may well check in south of that number. Daniels played five college seasons, capitalizing on his COVID year. Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board places Daniels second, while Daniel Jeremiah’s latest NFL.com rankings tab him sixth. Maye checks in sixth and fifth on those lists, respectively, adding intrigue to this Commanders call.
Prior to his Heisman offering, Daniels was not expected to be an early-first-round pick. But McCarthy made a more surprising rise. Even in the days following Michigan’s national championship win, McCarthy was viewed as maybe a mid-first-round choice. That no longer looks possible. Despite not posting numbers that rivaled Maye’s or Daniels’ offerings, the national championship-winning QB wowed evaluators at his pro day. To go along with his accuracy in a pro-like system under Jim Harbaugh, McCarthy now seems likely to be a top-six pick.
Many mocks have the 21-year-old prospect rising to the No. 4 spot via trade. A player without a 3,000-yard passing season going that high would be quite rare, though McCarthy exited several games early last year due to Wolverines dominance. He also finished his two-year starter run with a 44-9 TD-INT ratio.
McCarthy surfaced as a candidate to go No. 2 overall last month, and a recent report lent support to the Michigan product’s rise reaching this point. Neither Kiper nor Jeremiah have placed that as likely yet, though their mocks disagree on the Maye-Daniels debate. The Commanders joined the Patriots in having the largest contingent at Maye’s pro day, while Daniels is coming to Washington for a “30” visit. As of late March, Daniels was believed to be in pole position to go second to Washington, and a recent poll of NFL executives revealed a 3-2 edge to the LSU alum in the Daniels-or-May debate. Several teams will obviously have vested interests in how the Commanders proceed, with the draft taking shape based on which direction the NFC East team goes.
Washington is rebuilding. They could stockpile considerable draft capital — likely two future first-round picks — by trading down. This would likely not apply to the Giants, as they would almost definitely need to find a different gateway into the top four, but a big offer could prompt a meeting. But the Commanders have a clear path to a top QB prospect now. Waiting could introduce future hurdles into their QB equation, one that has not been stable since Kirk Cousins‘ two-franchise tag exit. And even that brought numerous headlines due to the contractual breakdown.
How will Washington proceed at 2? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this pivotal decision in the comments section.
USC quarterback Caleb Williams is seemingly a lock to be drafted by the Bears with the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft. Although most prognosticators believe the next three players off the board will be quarterbacks, it is less clear who those quarterbacks will be, and which teams will be selecting them.
Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post recently suggested that the Commanders, owners of the No. 2 overall pick, will select Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, whose draft stock has soared thanks in no small part to an excellent pro day performance. The Athletic’s Jeff Howe (subscription required) says that, of the seven team executives, coaches, and scouts that the publication recently polled, three of them believed Washington would select LSU’s Jayden Daniels, two believed UNC’s Drake Maye would be the pick, and one said it would be McCarthy (the final executive said a trade-down maneuver would be the Commanders’ best bet).
The opinion of that cheeky non-conformist notwithstanding, it would be surprising if the Commanders traded down or picked a non-QB with the No. 2 selection. But if Washington opts for a player other than Daniels, then the Giants could suddenly become a team to watch, as Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com notes.
In possession of the No. 6 overall pick, Big Blue has been doing its due diligence on this year’s top collegiate passers and scheduled “30” visits with each of Maye, McCarthy, and Daniels. According to Raanan, Daniels is particularly well-regarded within the organization, and sources close to GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll believe the reigning Heisman Trophy winner would be an “ideal fit” in the Giants’ offense.
That said, New York would almost certainly need to trade up to land Daniels, and the Patriots’ No. 3 overall pick likely represents the highest choice that could be available via trade. It appears that New England is prepared to stay put and select a QB of its own, though a trade could still be on the table if the right offer comes along. The problem is that the Giants have just six picks in the 2024 draft and a great number of roster holes, so efforts to jump up the draft board could be cost-prohibitive.
While owner John Mara has consistently endorsed incumbent QB1 Daniel Jones — who is on track to be back from his ACL tear by training camp — Mara has also given Schoen the green light to select a quarterback with the Giants’ top choice. Schoen is no stranger to trading up the board, and the team has been connected to such a move for at least a month. Regardless of the overall strength of a roster, there is almost no price too steep to pay for a franchise quarterback, particularly since Jones has generally failed to impress during his pro career and since the 2025 class of signal-callers is generally considered to be a weak one.
In the above-referenced piece, La Canfora says the Giants are actually higher on McCarthy than any other non-Williams quarterback, a sentiment that Raanan apparently does not share. Raanan does say the team has interest in McCarthy, but he suggests that such interest would be at its zenith if the former Wolverine should fall to the No. 6 pick. In other words, the ESPN scribe seems to believe that while Schoen would contemplate a trade up to land Daniels, he may not sacrifice additional draft capital to acquire McCarthy.
One way or another, as Howe succinctly puts it, “there’s more mystery surrounding the 2024 quarterback class than there’s ever been.”
In a recent article for The Washington Post, NFL insider and analyst Jason La Canfora provided his projection for how the first-round quarterbacks may play out in this year’s draft. After the seemingly obvious prediction of USC quarterback Caleb Williams to Chicago, La Canfora declared a somewhat more surprising projection: national championship-winning Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy going second overall to the Commanders.
The first reasoning that La Canfora points to is the betting markets. Though betting odds are fickle and often change at the slightest whims, they can quite often predict the likeliest outcome, and right now, McCarthy’s odds of getting picked right after Williams are skyrocketing. Secondarily, La Canfora points to an evaluator who compared McCarthy to “another (Brock) Purdy.”
New Commanders general manager Adam Peters comes from the 49ers front office that selected Purdy as the last pick of the draft two years ago. If McCarthy is demonstrating the attributes that drew Peters and company to Purdy, that also helps the Michigan passer’s chances of heading to Washington. Unfortunately, that same brain trust in San Francisco was responsible for the trade to move up for Trey Lance, so Peters’ history with picking quarterbacks may be hit or miss.
La Canfora also claims that the Giants are highest on McCarthy over the other remaining quarterbacks after Williams is drafted, but if he goes to the Commanders, as La Canfora predicts, New York will have to settle for another option: LSU Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels.
La Canfora doesn’t take it as fact that Daniels is headed to New York, though. He reports that the Raiders, who currently hold the 13th overall pick of the first round, “badly want to move up” to land Daniels. This rumor makes a ton of sense when you consider that Las Vegas’ head coach Antonio Pierce got an up-close look at Daniels when the two were together at Arizona State for several years. The team isn’t very well-positioned to make the move, but according to two general managers in the league, the Raiders are making the effort, nonetheless.
Aside from those two bigger predictions, La Canfora’s projection is fairly in-line with what we’ve been seeing. He predicts that the first four picks will be quarterbacks (Williams to Chicago, McCarthy to Washington, Daniels to New York, and North Carolina passer Drake Maye to Minnesota [via trade]), he sees the Raiders settling for Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. if they can’t trade up, and he sees Oregon quarterback Bo Nix becoming the fifth first-round quarterback of the draft thanks to the Ravens trading down so that the Broncos can select him 30th overall.
This all continues a wild runup to what is certainly shaping up to be an unpredictable 2024 NFL Draft. A top-heavy quarterback draft class has provided pundits and analysts alike with myriad predictions for how everything will play out. With a little over three weeks until the all-important date, the sequence of events following the No. 1 overall pick is unclear as ever.
Dortch was tendered as an exclusive rights free agent a month ago, essentially ensuring that the diminutive receiver would be back in 2024. He made it official today, though, signing his one-year exclusive rights tender.
Ndubuisi entered the league as a part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program in 2022 as an offensive lineman. After failing to make a roster, he returned to the IPPP as a defensive tackle. He spent all of 2023 on the Broncos’ practice squad and most recently spent a week and a half with the San Antonio Brahmas of the UFL. Ndubuisi will look to make his NFL debut with Washington in 2024.
Not mentioned among the quarterbacks projected to land in the top five, Michael Penix Jr. still profiles as a player who could certainly go off the draft board in Round 1. A number of teams are doing their homework on the recent national championship game starter.
Penix scheduled visits with the Giants, Falcons, Broncos, Raiders and Steelers recently. The Vikings and Commanders can now be added to the Washington alum’s list. Penix worked out for the Vikings recently, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, who adds the Commanders will also host the southpaw QB on a “30” visit. Penix has begun his run of “30” meetings, stopping through Denver on Tuesday and Las Vegas today.
The Commanders should not be expected to entertain taking Penix at No. 2 overall, but Dan Quinn did not commit to the team staying in that slot. The new Washington HC only said the Commanders are likely to leave the draft with a quarterback. Still, it would be fairly surprising to see a team that just hired a new GM and HC — and one with an owner who took over less than a year ago — pass on adding an impact QB prospect without needing to trade up.
The Vikings acquiring the Texans’ No. 27 overall pick has brought consistent rumors about the team trading up. Penix, however, could be available with Minnesota’s first pick (No. 11 overall). The Vikings have never chosen a quarterback in the top 10, but since acquiring that second first-rounder, they have been consistently predicted to break that streak. It would not seem Penix would require such a move, but Minnesota is doing due diligence on a passer with an extensive injury history and a strong finish to his college career.
Transferring from Indiana, Penix dominated at Washington and piloted the Huskies to the CFP title game. Working with top-flight WR Rome Odunze, Penix posted back-to-back 4,600-yard passing seasons. Last year, he closed with 36 TD passes and averaged 8.8 yards per attempt. Two torn ACLs and two shoulder injuries have brought understandable concerns, despite Penix’s strong finish. One GM mentioned to the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora it cleared Penix medically.
While the Penix-Odunze connection proved to be one of the college game’s most dangerous in many years, the QB’s past with Ryan Grubb should also warrant close inspection. The Seahawks, who hired the former Washington OC to call plays, are again being linked to Grubb’s former pupil. Some around the league believe the NFC West team, with Penix having played in Seattle and under Grubb, could in play to land the ex-Pac-12 star at No. 16, La Canfora adds.
Closely tied to Anthony Richardson last year, the Seahawks saw the Colts select the Florida talent one spot before them. Pete Carroll said the Seahawks would have considered drafting Richardson, whom they met with last year, at No. 5. They instead kept Geno Smith as the unquestioned QB1. Thus far in Mike Macdonald‘s first weeks on the job, Smith remains unchallenged for the gig. The 33-year-old QB saw a $12.7MM chunk of his 2024 base salary shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee in February, and Macdonald recently named the veteran his starter. But Smith’s three-year, $75MM deal is fairly Seahawks-friendly; the team could escape it easily in 2025. The Grubb-Penix connection should certainly be monitored ahead of the draft. Smith will turn 34 in October.
WithJ.J. McCarthylooking likely to be drafted closer to the Caleb Williams–Jayden Daniels–Drake Maye tier, Penix joins Bo Nix as the passers who could become mid- or late-first-round selections. Both Pac-12 transfers will require significant pre-draft examination, but one team will roll the dice on the Washington product with plans to become a future starter.
Fortunately, the prospect can rest easy knowing that the Commanders (No. 2) and Patriots (No. 3) had the largest contingents at his pro day. The Commanders also met with Maye privately before his public workout, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB. Specifically, coach DanQuinn, general manager AdamPeters, and offensive coordinator KliffKingsbury spoke with the prospect.
“It’s been awesome,” Maye said of his meeting with the Patriots (via Lazar). “Try to get to know them. Trying to get to know what they’re about, and their championship mindset to get back to the glory days.”
Interestingly, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com writes that the Broncos were also among the most represented teams at Maye’s audition. The Broncos currently sit with the No. 12 pick, and even if Maye does fall out of the top-three, it’s unlikely he drops all the way out of the top-10. In other words, the Broncos would surely have to move up in the first round if they want the UNC product.
As Adam Caplan of ProFootballNetwork.com passes along, NFL evaluators have lauded Maye for his size, arm strength, and aggressiveness. However, the prospect received criticism for hastily leaving the pocket and trying to make “hero throws,” a pair of attributes that could surely be curbed with experience.
Dan Quinn clearly views scheme familiarity as a priority during his first offseason as Commanders HC. Players from his past in Dallas and Seattle have surfaced in Washington. Now, a former Quinn Atlanta charge is coming to town.
Mykal Walker signed with the Commanders on Tuesday. Quinn and the former Falcons linebacker starter were not together long, as the team fired Quinn early in the 2020 season. But he was still calling the shots when Walker was drafted in the 2020 fourth round. This will continue a busy stretch of transactions for Walker, who is now on team No. 5 over the past eight months.
Spending time with the Bears, Raiders and Steelers following his summer Atlanta exit, Walker will join some recent Quinn charges in Washington. The Commanders have signed Bobby Wagner, Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler and Noah Igbinoghene on defense. They also added former Cowboys center Tyler Biadasz.
Walker will presumably be aiming to find some stability in Washington. Since mid-August, three teams have cut the Quinn-era Falcons draftee. Transitioning to then-DC Ryan Nielsen‘s scheme, the Falcons waived Walker during training camp. The Bears submitted a claim but did not make room on their 53-man roster for him on cutdown day. That led Walker to the Raiders’ practice squad, but the AFC West team released him a month later. It took multiple Steelers injuries to provide another opportunity for Walker, though he did finally see action again in Pittsburgh.
Kwon Alexander and ex-Washington starter Cole Holcomb suffered season-ending injuries. This led the team to give Walker five starts during the season’s second half. Walker, 26, played in eight games with Pittsburgh and started in the team’s wild-card game in Buffalo. Walker added his fourth career interception last season. He posted two INTs and added 107 tackles (four for loss) during a 2022 season that featured 12 Falcons starts. Pro Football Focus graded Walker 55th among off-ball linebackers in 2022 and slotted him outside the top 75 at the position during his half-season run in 2023.
