Commanders to interview top QB prospects at NFL combine

The Washington Commanders kicked off their NFL draft process on Monday at the annual scouting combine in Indianapolis with new general manager Adam Peters confirming that he will interview some of the draft’s top quarterbacks. 

Washington holds the No. 2 pick in April’s draft. After a mediocre season with quarterback Sam Howell, all signs point to Washington selecting a rookie to take snaps in 2024. 

Peters said he hadn’t met any of this year’s quarterback prospects in person before the combine. The front office plans to meet with top passers — including USC’s Caleb Williams, UNC’s Drake Maye, and LSU’s Jayden Daniels — on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

“The two biggest things, everybody says it, is the medical portion and then the interviews,” Peters said. “We’re going to interview a lot of quarterbacks, as well as a lot of other players here. That’s really the first touchpoint we’ll have with these guys.”

Since joining the organization this offseason, Peters and the new coaches have stressed the importance of a locker-room leader at the QB position. 

“That’s a huge part of really any position is getting to know the person. That’s where we’ve always found, in scouting, you make the biggest mistakes more so on the person than the actual talent,” the new general manager told reporters on Tuesday. “Understanding what makes a person tick and how they’ll fit into your locker room and your particular culture is the biggest thing you can make mistakes on.”

Peters said he knows that picking a quarterback is an inexact science and an early draft pick might not pan out. He noted that the team’s focus extends beyond their first selection — the Commanders have nine selections in this year’s draft

“The quarterback, there’s so much nuance that goes into it, besides the talent, the skill set, the arm strength and all that. With quarterback or any position, it’s people evaluating people. You’re going to make mistakes, and it’s a matter of if you have a better hit rate, really … The more hits you have, whether it’s the first-round pick or the seventh-round pick or anywhere in between, that’s how you build your team.”