For several weeks now, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter has remained confident that LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels will go No. 2 overall in Thursday’s 2024 NFL draft to the Washington Commanders.
To be fair to Schefter, he hasn’t reported Daniels is going to the Commanders. However, from gathering intel from his sources around the NFL, his best guess is Daniels to the Commanders.
On Monday, Schefter doubled down on Daniels to Washington in an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show.”
“The Commanders have not finalized that decision, could they change their mind, sure,” Schefter. “The most likely scenario is that the Commanders stay at two and take Jayden Daniels in my mind.”
"The two teams that have expressed the most interest in moving up have been the Vikings & Giants..
The most likely scenario is that the Commanders stay at number two & take Jayden Daniels" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/EfbyAIpk51
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 22, 2024
Earlier on Monday, Schefter also wrote a column at ESPN in which he discussed what he was hearing ahead of the draft, including some tidbits on the Commanders.
The Commanders have been highly impressed with Daniels’ abilities, and they are not alone. One NFL head coach whose team is not in the quarterback market said he would take Daniels over Caleb Williams (USC), who is expected to be drafted No. 1 by the Bears. “It’s a no-brainer to me,” the coach said. “Jayden looks like the best guy in this draft.”
Another head coach compared Daniels to Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson: “If you pick Daniels, you’re getting Lamar 2.0, but he’s further along as a passer than Lamar was when he came out,” the coach said.
Washington still is going through its process, but Daniels is the favorite to be its pick.
Schefter is the top newsbreaker in sports, and he’s rarely ever wrong. Again, he’s guessing on this pick, but it is an educated guess. It’s also important to note he has been wrong before. In 2021, Schefter said the 49ers would select Alabama quarterback Mac Jones at No. 3 overall — they chose Trey Lance.
Current Washington general manager Adam Peters was San Francisco’s assistant GM in 2021.