If you are like me, you like and hope the best for Sam Howell.
But what if the Commanders will have the opportunity to draft likely Heisman Trophy winner, LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels?
CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson assembled a 2024 mock draft first round Thursday.
Based upon games played through Week 13, the Commanders were in the 4th draft position. Sure enough, there was Daniels for Washington, and so Wilson sees it as a real possibility.
Daniels, the former Arizona State quarterback who transferred to LSU, was ranked behind several quarterbacks entering this 2023 season. But he has simply had a huge year. Coaches and scouts will be watching his tape soon, and his draft stock will continue to rise.
Consequently, foreseeing Daniels’ to continue to climb draft boards, Wilson is predicting Daniels will actually be drafted before North Carolina’s Drake Maye.
But why would the Commanders, already having Sam Howell, draft Daniels? Here is Wilson’s rationale:
I know that Sam Howell is the Commanders QB and that he’s had a solid Year 2 while showing signs of real growth. But there’s also a pretty good chance new ownership is looking for a new coach, and often new coaches like to have “their” quarterback too. No player improved more this fall than Daniels, whose game reminds me a lot of Lamar Jackson.
Of course, the actual draft is a little more than four months away. There will be plenty of maneuvering of draft boards in that time.
Here is Wilson’s entire first-round 2024 mock draft.
If you only want the top five, Wilson chose the following:
- 1. New England (trades up): Caleb Williams QB, USC
- 2. Chicago: Marvin Harrison, Jr. WR, Ohio State
- 3. Arizona: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
- 4. Washington: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
- 5. Chicago: Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama