The quarterback-needy Washington Commanders hold the No. 2 pick in an NFL draft stocked with talented passers. The Commanders have a decision to make as draft day approaches — will they select USC’s Caleb Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, or UNC’s Drake Maye?
On Wednesday, Commanders coaches told reporters that they haven’t started studying prospects; they’re focused on evaluating the players currently on the roster.
Analysts are almost evenly split on whether the Commanders will select Wiliams, Daniels or Maye.
Mock drafts from CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports’ Charles McDonald and NFL.com’s Cynthia Frelund see Williams landing with the Commanders and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who coached the Heisman Trophy winner in college.
Tying Williams to the Commanders is simple, but he might not make it to the No. 2 pick. Most experts believe the D.C. native will be the first player off the board, joining the Chicago Bears or a team that trades up for him.
“It’s easy to envision a world where the Commanders hire Kliff Kingsbury with the express purpose of trading for Caleb Williams,” Bleacher Report scout Derrik Klassen wrote. “In that world, regardless of what you think of Kingsbury, the Commanders would greatly benefit from doing so.”
Maye came into the 2023 season as the next-best prospect behind Williams. Over the past two seasons, he was the only college quarterback to pass for 7,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards. Analysts laud his prototypical size and arm talent but question his footwork and decision-making when plays break down.
“The Commanders could take Maye and sit him behind his former North Carolina teammate, Sam Howell, until he is ready to assume control as the franchise quarterback,” wrote Bucky Brooks, a former NFL scout who now works as an analyst. “Maye offers immense talent and potential, but with only two years of starting experience at UNC, he would benefit from an apprenticeship before taking over as QB1 down the road.”
Garrett Podell of CBS Sports and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com also see Maye joining Howell in the Commanders’ QB room.
LSU’s Daniels is a more dynamic runner than Williams or Maye. The Arizona State transfer accounted for 50 total touchdowns in 2023, rushing for more than 1,100 yards and passing for another 3,800. The 2023 Heisman winner has wowed talent evaluators with his dynamic running ability and touch on deep throws — but they have concerns about his ability to find his second read and maintain consistent accuracy in short and intermediate throws.
“The Washington Commanders would love to pair new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury with Caleb Williams, but that doesn’t seem likely,” the 33rd Team’s Marcus Mosher wrote this week. “In this mock, they take Jayden Daniels at No. 2, giving them a franchise quarterback who can make plays with both his arm and his legs. Daniels is an excellent fit for Kingsbury’s offense and could have a lot of success right away in Washington.”
In discussions with the media, Commanders coaches have noted that they’d love a mobile quarterback who can make plays outside of structure. Strong leadership skills also rank highly on their list of desired traits.
“When the money’s on the table, you got to be able to make some plays, with your feet, move around enough to escape a bad play. And it doesn’t mean you got to run like Lamar [Jackson] or Kyler Murray, but you better be able to move a little bit and buy yourself some time,” Kingsbury said earlier this month. “You want that player to be the hardest worker on your team. You want them to lead those guys each and every day when he shows up in the building, you want them to lift the building up.”
Kingsbury shares this philosophy with other coaches on his staff. On Wednesday, run game coordinator Anthony Lynn noted that a mobile threat at quarterback can loosen up a defense.
“I like mobile quarterbacks and Kliff likes mobile quarterbacks because you can use them as decoys and you can make defenses play 11-on-11,” Lynn told reporters. “If they think the quarterbacks are in on it, you can gain an advantage with an extra blocker at the point of attack … I don’t believe in running the quarterback all day, but I think every now and then you can put it on tape.”
Washington’s coaching staff has two months to decide on a potential signal-caller. Brian Johnson, the pass game coordinator, said the process kicks off at the NFL combine next week in Indianapolis — but a final decision likely won’t be made until the draft begins on April 25.
“It’s an ongoing process,” Johnson said. “You’re continually going back and reviewing and adding new information and continuing to find out as much as you can up until the very last moment.”
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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