Now that the Senior Bowl is over, prospect rankings and mock drafts will shift. What does that mean for the top of the 2024 NFL draft?
The Chicago Bears pick No. 1 and are expected to select USC quarterback Caleb Williams. The Washington Commanders are then on the clock at No. 2 and are widely believed to also pick a quarterback.
The same goes for the New England Patriots at No. 3 overall.
In a new mock draft, Matt Miller of ESPN has Williams going first to the Bears.
At No. 2, no surprise, Miller has North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye landing in Washington.
The Commanders have a new coach in Dan Quinn and are likely zeroing in on quarterback prospects at No. 2 after Sam Howell posted matching touchdown and interception totals (21 apiece) in 2023. Maye received rave reviews in a recent conversation with an NFC quarterbacks coach who has studied his film: “He’s Josh Allen, Justin Herbert … and I think his arm is comparable to C.J. Stroud.” Those comparisons are high praise and would be tough for new general manager Adam Peters to ignore. Maye’s arm talent and mobility at 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds perfectly fit the modern quarterback profile.
The Commanders, of course, also have two picks in the second, thanks to a trade that sent defensive end Montez Sweat to the Bears. With several holes throughout the roster, will Washington use its second-round picks to beef up the offensive line?
In his mock draft, Miller has the Commanders replenishing another position: Defensive end.
At No. 36, Miller projects Alabama defensive end Chris Braswell to Washington.
Braswell moved into a full-time starter role in 2023 and thrived opposite Dallas Turner with 12 tackles for loss and eight sacks. The Commanders traded away pass-rushers Montez Sweat and Chase Young at the deadline in October, and after addressing quarterback in Round 1 of this mock draft, they can fill that edge rush void here.
Miller then sees the Commanders choosing Penn State defensive end Chop Robinson at No. 40.
The edge-rushing cupboard is bare in Washington, so even though we just got the Commanders a defensive end at No. 36, we’re going back to that well at No. 40 — and using the pick that Washington got from Chicago in the Montez Sweat deal. Robinson, a speedy pass-rusher at 250 pounds, would pair nicely with the power of Braswell. He posted just four sacks in 2023 while dealing with some nagging injuries, but Robinson has rumored 4.4 speed, and his stock could skyrocket after the combine.
Miller is right; the edge rusher cupboard is bare. However, it’s doubtful that the Commanders use both second-round picks on that position. You can almost guarantee Washington spends one of its second-round picks on an offensive lineman.