The views and opinions expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of the team.
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In anticipation of the 2024 NFL Draft, which will be held April 25 - 27 in Detroit, Michigan, here's a compilation of various league experts' predictions about what the Washington Commanders will do with the No. 2 overall pick. Check back weekly until the draft for more updates.
Expert: Kyle Stackpole, CBS Sports
Selection: USC QB Caleb Williams (via trade up with CHI) (Feb. 20)
Analysis: Rick Spielman has the Commanders trading up to the No. 1 spot to select Caleb Williams. As Ryan Wilson noted, Kliff Kingsbury is the new OC, Kingsbury was with Williams last season at USC, the NFL comparison for Williams is Patrick Mahomes, and Kingsbury coached Mahomes at Texas Tech. Plus, Washington has a new owner, a ton of cap space and a big need for a franchise QB, so this move makes sense in a multitude of ways. The biggest question is whether or not the Bears would actually trade out of the top spot.
Expert: Chris Roling, Yahoo Sports
Selection: UNC QB Drake Maye (Feb. 20)
Analysis: "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 said. "In that world, regardless of what you think of Kingsbury, the Commanders would greatly benefit from doing so.
Expert: Marcus Mosher, The 33rd Team
Selection: LSU QB Jayden Daniels (Feb. 19)
Analysis: The Washington Commanders would love to pair new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury with Caleb Williams, but that doesn't seem likely. 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.
Expert: Dan Parr, NFL.com
Selection: UNC QB Drake Maye (Feb. 16)
Analysis: The Commanders explore moving up to reunite Caleb Williams with OC Kliff Kingsbury, but the asking price is too rich for a team with plenty of other needs. Maye gives Washington a foundation to build on.
Expert: Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
Selection: LSU QB Jayden Daniels (Feb. 5)
Analysis: Some prognosticators have locked North Carolina's Drake Maye into this spot, but Maye flashed while Daniels sustained in 2023. I like the draft's top dual-threat QB here.
Expert: Garrett Podell, CBS Sports
Selection: UNC QB Drake Maye (Feb. 15)
Analysis: It's a new regime in Washington. General manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn look to kick off their franchise-altering draft class that includes six of the first 102 picks with their face-of-the-franchise QB. Maye was the only FBS player with 7,000-plus passing yards and 1,000-plus rushing yards in the past two seasons.
Expert: Charles McDonald, Nate Tice, Yahoo Sports
Selection: USC QB Caleb Williams (Feb. 20)
Analysis: The Commanders need a quarterback and seem, at this point, slated to take whoever doesn't go first overall. In this scenario, it's Williams who gets to come home to the D.C. area and see if he can turn around his hometown franchise with the upside he brings as a passer.
Expert: Cynthia Frelund, NFL.com
Selection: USC QB Caleb Williams (Feb. 9)
Analysis: Williams' reunion with his former USC coach, Kliff Kingsbury (now Washington's OC), makes this a higher-upside match than it would have been a week ago (before Kingsbury was hired). I am not sure about the gap other people see between the QBs in this year's draft, but my evaluation comes down to refinements between styles, opponents, team infrastructure, etc. for the top two, and potentially the top three.
Expert: Danny Kelly, The Ringer
Selection: LSU QB Jayden Daniels
**Analysis:** The early rumblings around the league have NFL teams down on Drake Maye, the UNC quarterback who has largely been the favorite for the second pick this cycle. I far prefer Maye to Daniels, who is a late bloomer and a one-read-and-run quarterback at this time—but it seems like teams love his production, truly game-breaking speed, and success as a downfield passer. For Kliff Kingsbury's Air Raid offense, Daniels is more reminiscent of Kyler Murray, his old quarterback in Arizona.
Expert: Doug Ferrar, Yahoo Sports
Selection: USC QB Caleb Williams (Feb. 17)
Analysis: N/A
Expert: River Wells, Yahoo Sports
Selection:UNC QB Drake Maye (Feb. 16)
Analysis: Maye will go to Washington when Williams is picked, and the Commanders will be plenty fine with that. Maye has showcased some serious talent at UNC, and the Commanders have the most cap space in the NFL to build a team around him.
