Field Yates, an NFL insider for ESPN, is among those who are skeptical about the Washington Commanders using the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft to select Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy, rather than opting for Jayden Daniels from the LSU Tigers or Drake Maye from the North Carolina Tar Heels. In a piece published on Friday, Yates stated, “While we have all been around long enough to never say never, my belief is that the second pick in the draft will be Daniels or Maye. McCarthy will not have to wait long to hear his name called and has had a very impressive spring after an excellent season leading Michigan to a national championship, but I do not believe he will wind up at No. 2.”
Despite Adam Schefter consistently linking Jayden Daniels with the Washington Commanders at the second pick, ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller remains steadfast in his belief that Washington could make a surprising move on draft night. Miller recalled the 2018 draft when expectations were for Sam Darnold or Josh Allen to be selected first overall, only for Baker Mayfield to be chosen instead. Miller emphasized that teams often deviate from pundits’ predictions and make unexpected selections every year. He stated, “I can’t rule out the possibility that Washington has fallen in love with McCarthy following his pro day and its time spent with him individually.”
The excitement surrounding J.J. McCarthy has become so intense that it has overshadowed the possibility of Washington selecting Drake Maye, especially if the Chicago Bears indeed choose USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams as the first pick in the draft. In updated mock drafts this week by Josh Edwards and Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports, they predicted that the Commanders would opt for Maye, leaving Jayden Daniels for the New England Patriots to consider with the third pick.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid expressed his opinion in Friday’s piece, suggesting that Washington is grappling with a dilemma between choosing Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye.
Reid pointed out that while J.J. McCarthy has generated significant interest across the league during the pre-draft period, many still perceive the No. 2 overall pick as too high for a relatively inexperienced quarterback. McCarthy has considerably fewer career pass attempts than Daniels and operated within a predominantly run-focused offense at Michigan.
As of the second weekend of April, outsiders can only speculate whether J.J. McCarthy could potentially be the top quarterback choice for both Washington and New England. However, one thing that seems clear regarding the Commanders’ draft strategy is their intent to retain the No. 2 pick rather than trading it for assets to support their ongoing rebuilding efforts.