NFL Analyst Calls It ‘Foolish’ To Rule Out This QB To Commanders

There shouldn't be much surprise on what the Chicago Bears do with the No. 1 pick, but the Washington Commanders are the biggest wild card in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Caleb Williams is the consensus best player in the draft, and Chicago likely will select the USC product first overall. However, there hasn't been a consensus on what Washington will do with the No. 2 pick.

Drake Maye for months was the second overall pick in the majority of mock drafts, but Jayden Daniels' stock grew to the point where evaluators believe he could be the No. 2 pick.

General manager Adam Peters, head coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury haven't tipped their hands on who they want in the 2024 NFL Draft. The signing of Marcus Mariota also doesn't offer much insight, and the trading of Maye's former UNC teammate Sam Howell can be interpreted in multiple ways.

J.J. McCarthy also seems to be in the conversation as his stock grew exponentially during the NFL Scouting Combine and Michigan's pro day. McCarthy to Washington was the "most popular" selection among NFL executives a month ago, but ESPN's Adam Schefter this week revealed the lean is toward Daniels.

If McCarthy did go second overall, that would totally shake up the NFL draft for the New England Patriots and other quarterback-needy teams. It sounds far-fetched, but ESPN's Matt Miller also had been hearing similar intel and isn't counting out the possibility.

"If this was one or two people saying it, I'd probably dismiss it as the usual April draft buzz that doesn't come to fruition. But enough sources around the NFL are whispering that McCarthy could very well be the second quarterback off the board that it has to be considered possible at this point," Miller wrote Friday. "The Commanders will ultimately decide what works best for their franchise -- and owner Josh Harris, general manager Adam Peters, coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury will likely all be involved in that process -- but ruling out McCarthy in Washington would be foolish based on leaguewide intel surrounding the quarterbacks. He's currently my QB4 at No. 22 overall."

There's a high likelihood that four quarterbacks will be selected with the first four picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, but the order in which the signal-callers will be taken remains a mystery.