Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels may not be the only quarterbacks in the mix for the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
With NFL personnel gathering in Orlando, Fla., for the annual league meetings this week, a “popular” theory being speculated amongst team execs is that the Commanders — who hold the second-overall pick in next month’s draft — will select former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, NFL Network reported Monday.
“Everybody’s always trying to figure out, especially at the top of the draft, what the other teams are doing. When I’ve had conversations here, with executives from other teams who know [first-year Washington general manager] Adam Peters well, know the situation well, the most popular answer for what they do at No. 2 is J.J. McCarthy,” NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero said.
It would be quite the turn of events as Maye and Daniels, the former quarterbacks at North Carolina and LSU, respectively, have long been linked to the top of the draft board behind USC standout Caleb Williams, who is widely expected to be taken No. 1 by the Bears.
Draft smokescreens are prevalent this time of year, so it’s hard to speculate how legitimate the whispers are.
McCarthy, fresh off a national championship win with the Wolverines alongside new Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, has seen his stock steadily rise in recent weeks.
Harbaugh touted McCarthy as “the best quarterback in this draft.”
The 21-year-old signal-caller met with the Seahawks, Patriots and Commanders ahead of his Pro Day last week, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
The Patriots select third in the 2024 NFL Draft while the Seahawks pick at No. 16.
The Commanders enter the 2024 season with a new regime of Peters and first-year head coach Dan Quinn.
The club, which went 4-13 last season, appears to be zeroing in on a quarterback after trading Sam Howell to Seattle this month after two years in Washington.
The Commanders added veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota as insurance at the start of free agency.
Washington isn’t the only team intrigued by McCarthy.
The Broncos — who hold pick No. 12 — recently spent time with the quarterback, and second-year coach Sean Payton hasn’t ruled out the possibility of trading up.
The Vikings (pick No. 11) also appear to be circling the top-10 waters as Minnesota orchestrated a blockbuster trade with the Texans this month to secure Houston’s No. 23 overall pick.
It’s been speculated the Vikings, who lost quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Falcons in free agency, could package the first-rounders in the hopes of sliding up the board and securing their player, potentially McCarthy.
The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 25.
