We’ve seen a lot of opinions on North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye over the past few weeks. One former NFL player said he’s not a first-round talent. Some believe Maye is better than Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels. Maye is certainly the most polarizing quarterback in the upcoming 2024 NFL draft.
At the 2024 NFL combine, none of the top three quarterbacks participated in throwing sessions or on-field drills. That’s not unexpected, as they’ll all wait to throw in front of NFL teams at their individual pro days on campus.
There have been a lot of rumors that the Washington Commanders love Williams. He’s a Washington native. But the Commanders may not have a chance to select him. Many believe he will go No. 1 overall to the Chicago Bears, leaving Washington to choose between Maye and Daniels at No. 2 overall.
That’s not a bad place to be for the Commanders. Many draft analysts have stated that in other drafts, Maye and Daniels could easily be the No. 1 passer. There are some who like Maye and/or Daniels over Williams, but most have Williams atop the list.
What about Washington? Well, no one knows who Adam Peters has atop his board. However, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, there is chatter at the combine that the Commanders “are high on Maye.”
There’s belief by rival team executives the Washington Commanders are high on Maye and that he should remain the favorite as the second pick.
From Howe, one executive said of Maye: “He can throw the [expletive] out of the ball.”
Maye’s time at North Carolina mirrored current Washington quarterback Sam Howell’s over the final two seasons. Howell was phenomenal in 2019 and 2020, but lost several starters in 2021 and his play took a step back. He eventually went in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft to Washington.
Maye’s 2022 film is elite. However, he also took a step back in 2023. Maye doesn’t have to worry about falling out of the top five. He has elite traits. Howell’s size was an issue for him, among other things.
This report doesn’t mean any of the executives heard from Washington that they prefer Maye. Williams could be the preference, but he likely isn’t an option. Daniels could be the Commanders’ favorite. No one knows but Peters and those close to him.