Tag: 2024 Commanders Draft

Commanders’ Jayden Daniels and Joe Theismann both took the lead

Jayden Daniels has been praised for his leadership qualities, like another former Washington QB.

Recently drafted Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels would probably enjoy learning about the quarterback leadership provided by Joe Theismann.

After only two regular season games in 1982, the NFL player’s strike began. The players vowed together to withhold their services and did for 57 days.

The then Redskins were 2-0, and Joe Theismann, Washington’s starting quarterback, rather than simply sit out on strike, had the foresight to call up teammates and arrange team workouts. Why wait until the strike concluded? “We wanted to be ready when it happened,” said Theismann.

Art Monk has stated that it was Theismann who was the leader, “who orchestrated everything” as the team would work out at local fields, unable to use their Redskins practice facility.

“When the season started back up, we just kept rolling, and it was because of Joe’s leadership,” recalled then Redskins kicker Mark Moseley. “I think that is when the players really started to rally around Joe as their leader, the catalyst who was going to take us to where we were going.”

Where they were going was an 8-1 regular season, an NFC championship with playoff wins over the Lions, Vikings, and Cowboys, and a Super Bowl XVII championship win over the Dolphins.

Theismann, with Washington beginning in the 1974 season, had not been an elite NFL quarterback. Nor had he been voted a Pro Bowler. But leading as he did in the 1982 season, he was a Pro Bowler and the unquestioned leader of the Super Bowl champs. The next season he was again a Pro Bowler, even more an All-Pro, and the Associated Press MVP of the NFC champion Redskins.

What does this have to do with Jayden Daniels?

Soon after Daniels was drafted, he told former Washington tight end Logan Paulsen he needed to work to get better. So many rookies are clueless, thinking that because they were successful in college, they will be successful in the NFL. Most of them have rarely thought about the fact that roughly 200 colleges play college football, and there are only 32 NFL teams.

Daniels really improved while at LSU, and it was not all because of his physical ability. Commanders fans will love to hear that John Keim reported following the draft that Daniels was on the plane already beginning his study of the Commanders’ playbook.

While at LSU, Daniels did not rely solely on his talent. He was a team leader, organizing some 5 a.m. workouts with players.

As Keim pointed out to Paulsen, other players who might not have wanted to, showed up as well, following Daniels’ leadership.

Paulsen responded, “I want my quarterback to have that ability to engage with his teammates.” Daniels admitted to Paulsen that it was not easy. Initially, there were, understandably, players who did not want to be there by 5 a.m., but Daniels had the ability to persuade them, leading them by example.

Paulsen is convinced that Daniels was drafted by Washington not only because he is a great runner but also because he is an accurate passer. Paulsen firmly believes Daniels was chosen because he was a leader at LSU.

Like Theismann, Daniels may have begun to learn that leaders don’t just give orders. No, leaders make the sacrifices to get out front and lead.

Who knows, perhaps he will have the opportunity to learn a thing or two about leadership from Theismann himself.

 

Why did Commanders’ GM Adam Peters select Johnny Newton?

Jason Peters explained why Johnny Newton was the right pick.

Thursday night’s first round of the NFL draft had just concluded, and the Commanders were a bit surprised.

Washington Commanders new general manager Adam Peters sat down with the Commanders Brian Koba Jr to discuss his leading his initial Washington Commanders draft last week.

Illinois defensive tackle and Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year Johnny Newton had been mocked by most analysts for going somewhere in the 20s in the first round. Yet Newton had not been selected in the first round.

“We were ecstatic,” opened Peters. “After Thursday night, you look at your board, and Johnny was really an outlier on our board. We were looking at each other, and we talked about it Thursday night and again Friday morning.”

“We got a ton of calls Friday from teams wanting to trade up (to No. 36). In the end, we said, if Johnny’s there, we got to take him, even though maybe that wasn’t the biggest position of need. He was clearly the highest player on our board. He’s a game wrecker. He fits what we do perfectly, and he fits everything that a commander is really.”

Peters liked that Newton is tough, smart, and violent, a team captain, and everything the Commanders wanted. “So, we were happy to pull the trigger on that one.”

The former UCLA Bruin defensive end spoke of how his current defensive tackle starters, Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, are both great examples for Newton to follow. “The way they work, the way they go about their business, anytime you can have that situation, it’s awesome.”

According to Peters, head coach Dan Quinn already has a vision of attempting to have all three (Allen, Payne and Newton) on the field at the same time. “It’s not like he is going to be a backup and not playing a whole lot. He’s going to get on the field, he’s going to play. We’re going to rotate those guys, keep those guys fresh, so they can get after it, too.”

Some observations from the Commanders’ 2024 NFL draft

Some observations from last weekend’s NFL draft.

Many, many of us watched the Commanders draft selections during last weekend’s 2024 NFL draft.

You might have picked up on a few observations when watching the draft and the subsequent release of the phone calls by the Commanders.

Did you notice Dan Quinn didn’t waste any time? In his welcome to the NFL message to his players, he spoke of being aggressive, tough, physical, kicking a–, etc.

This brought back to my memory how Scot McCloughan sometimes spoke of players he had drafted or claimed as “a football player.” Things like this tend to get us excited — excited prematurely, I might add.

Did you notice general manager Adam Peters spoke of himself being so glad that player was there for them to select? Peters seems to have a gift of being personable, and that can take a man a long way in his career in how he relates to his players, coaches, and staff.

One observation I have noticed many times over the decades of watching the NFL draft is when players talk of winning the Super Bowl next year, being All-Pro, or going to the Hall of Fame.

Wait? What? Do you not reveal how clueless you are talking like that? Dude, you just need to focus on being a worker on the practice field, making the team, and improving your craft. The guys that talk like they are going to be in Canton someday reveal they have no idea of how much work is involved, no idea how many levels of players there are in the NFL.

So, I was glad to hear Commanders players mainly discussing getting to work and working hard. Could it be that Adam Peters and Dan Quinn are already influencing those players’ thinking about how they approach entering the league?

The truth is none of these players yet know what their actual ceiling can be or what it will take to get there. And none of us know where these players are in terms of their development. Some are already close to their ceilings, and there will be disappointment. Some will surprise us as they surpass the expectations placed upon them.

What type of wide receiver will the Commanders get with Luke McCaffrey?

The future is bright for new Commanders WR Luke McCaffrey.

Luke McCaffrey’s dad has a funny draft story.

McCaffrey’s dad, Ed, told his sons that he thinks all the NFL teams contracted him prior to his draft day in 1991. However, one team did not contact Ed — the New York Giants — and they were the team that ended up selecting him in the draft.

Thus, Luke McCaffrey told “Grant and Danny” that he had absolutely no idea what might, could or would occur on draft night last Thursday.

Is Luke like his dad? Ed McCaffrey had the uncanny ability to get open and catch the ball when the pass was in his vicinity. After playing his college ball at Stanford, he was drafted in the third round by the Giants (83rd overall).

Logging 185 NFL games in his career, McCaffrey had 565 receptions for 7,422 yards, including 55 touchdowns. McCaffrey also averaged 13.1 yards per reception.

His son Christian followed in his footsteps, playing in the Pac-12 conference for Stanford. He has enjoyed an illustrious NFL career, already rushing for 6,185 yards and scoring 81 touchdowns in his 91 NFL games.

So, why did Washington Commanders GM Adam Peters draft younger brother Luke? Many will ask that, given Luke did not play for an NCAA powerhouse. After some time at Nebraska, Luke moved on to Rice and made a successful transition from quarterback to wide receiver.

Luke McCaffrey is still learning the position, and Peters most likely views him as someone who has a lot more room to grow through the experiences he has already gained.

Don’t overlook the fact that he can also continue to learn from his dad about the ins and outs of being an NFL receiver.

It’s very early in the process; no need to get carried away with praise for Peters’ selection or Luke McCaffrey’s future career with the Commanders. At this point, what we can do is expect lots of hard work and a good mentality from a member of the McCaffrey family.

McCaffrey is a logical choice for Peters. Peters knows what he is getting, as Luke will not be entitled, thinking the NFL owes him anything. He is young at the position and will grow consequently through years of experience.

Who knows what type of career Luke will enjoy? For now, we wait and see, trying our best to be realistic about the draft and not so giddy.

But isn’t it fun having a real general manager again in Washington?

Who did the Commanders get in Ben Sinnott?

The Commanders got themselves a tight end.

With the 53rd overall selection, the Washington Commanders selected Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott.

Who is Ben Sinnott?

Watching his highlight film of catching and running with the football, he looks similar to former Washington tight end Chris Cooley, which will make avid Commanders fans eager with anticipation.

His tape also reveals he is an aggressive and physical blocker who likes physical contact in opening the way for running backs into the defensive secondary.

At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, Sinnott will bring a physical dimension to the tight end room that general manager Adam Peters will welcome to the Commanders offense.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Sinnott ran a 4.68 40, and at 250 pounds, unveiled an explosiveness with his 40-inch vertical jump.

In his final season, the Kansas State Wildcat was a third-team Associated Press All-American. He was voted First-team All-Big 12 Conference (listed at fullback because of his blocking ability). Sinnott led the team with 676 receiving yards (49 receptions, 13.8 YPR), six receiving TDs. He started 12 games.

Who did the Commanders get in Jer’Zhan Newton?

What are the Commanders getting in Newton?

Jer’Zhan Newton was the name announced by the Hall of Fame former Redskins cornerback Darrell Green as the 36th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Who is Newton?

Well, first of all, I was surprised the big defensive tackle who played at the University of Illinois was not selected in the first round Thursday night.

You see, Newton was listed by most analysts as one of the top 30 players in this draft.

The Commanders already have Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne. So why did Adam Peters select Newton? Perhaps it’s because Peters honestly felt he was the best player available. Newton is 6-foot-3, 304 pounds, and stood out during Illinois games this past season.

The Commanders desperately need an offensive tackle, but with the run on tackles last night in round one, it was expected they would not reach at No. 36 for an offensive tackle. Unlike the prior administration, this group led by Peters chose a good player they were most likely surprised was still available.

Preferring “Johnny,” Newton was an All-American during the 2023 season. For his stellar play, Newton was awarded the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year and also the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year award. He was also First-Team All-Big Ten in both of his last two seasons for Illinois (2022, 2023).

Peters took Newton to get the best player despite the fact that he already possesses two fine defensive tackles. He is, after all, attempting to build the best roster possible, not reach and fill a position.

There is a huge difference.

Newton was born in St Petersburg, Florida and played his high school ball at Clearwater Central Catholic.

What are the Commanders getting in Jayden Daniels?

What are the Commanders getting in Jayden Daniels?

So, it is indeed, Jayden Daniels, who the Commanders selected with their first selection in the 2024 NFL draft.

What do the Commanders get in selecting Jayden Daniels?

“Washington is going to get everything out of me,” said Daniels on NFL Network, only two minutes after he was drafted.

They receive a very awarded player. Daniels has won the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Player of the Year, Davey O’Brien Award, and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

Daniels was also a finalist for the Maxwell Award, a First-team Associated Press All-American. SEC Offensive Player of the Year and First-team All-SEC.

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He was a captain at LSU, and in his last season (2023) Daniels threw 40 passing TDs (4 INTs), for 3,812 passing yards, including an impressive with 72.2 completion percentage. Running the ball Daniels accumulated 1,134 rushing yards (8.4 YPC) with 10 rushing TDs. Only player in FBS history to throw for 12,000 yards and rush for 3,000 yards in a college career.

In fairness, they also get an underweight quarterback who declined to be weighed at the Combine until his camp could put enough weight on him to reach 210 pounds at the LSU Pro Day. Perhaps Daniels will immediately begin a program helping him to gain muscle and good body weight.

The Commanders also receive a quarterback who can really move on his feet. Daniels can extend plays, and can also make huge gains when a lane opens for him.

Perhaps the biggest positive of the night is the reminder that five years ago, the previous owner entered the Redskins draft room and basically discarded all the thousands of hours of scouting and player evaluations by his paid staff so that he, the owner, could select a quarterback because he went to high school with the owner’s son.

It is a new era in Washington. No more Daniel Snyder, no more Bruce Allen. Adam Peters, the new GM, has made his first draft choice for the Commanders. That in itself may be a cause to celebrate.

Tonight was the fourth time Washington selected second in the NFL draft this century: LaVar Arrington (2000), Robert Griffin (2012), and Chase Young (2020).

 

Drake Maye enjoyed his visit with the Commanders last week

Drake Maye enjoyed his time with the Commanders and discussed several things about the pre-draft process.

“They changed it up; I thought it was pretty sweet.”

That was how quarterback Drake May summed up the Commanders group activity visit, which some have severely criticized.

Maye, who will most likely be selected among the top five picks in Thursday night’s 2024 NFL draft, was a guest on the “This is Football” podcast on Monday.

Going through the NFL draft process, Maye said he was surprised by how “they know a lot about you. They do a lot of research. They do a lot of “recon” (reconnaissance). They know all about you in high school.”

The young 21-year-old who quarterbacked at North Carolina said he was determined to “just be truthful. I think it’s the biggest thing. They try to catch you in the got-you questions. So just be truthful because at the end of the day, just being honest, you never go wrong doing that.”

What did Maye think of the recent Commanders’ visit where several players were present?

“I actually thought it was one of the cool visits I’ve seen…The Commanders took an approach of all of us being together and seeing how we interact and getting a chance to swing the golf club a little bit. I enjoyed it, being around the other guys. I got to meet a lot of different guys throughout the process…We all got our separate time with the coaches when we needed to. It’s not like we didn’t do any of that. The Top Golf was just a way for us to get and do something fun the evening before.”

He was asked if the NFL teams interviewing him bring up a certain play(s). Maye didn’t hesitate, replying, “They’ve brought up a lot of good plays, and sometimes the bad plays are harder to talk about. I say, ‘I should have done this instead of that.’ They bring up some interceptions, like the beginning of the year against South Carolina. They love bringing up that one.”

Describing the play, Maye conveyed, “I scrambled up, scrambled right late and on a back-side dig late across the middle, I shouldn’t have thrown. They just want to hear what you say. If you make an excuse or admit to it, that’s the biggest thing.”

Maye was asked about one of his more memorable plays at North Carolina. The Tar Heels were at the Pitt 7-yard line. Maye took the snap, rolled left, was under heavy pressure, and stuck out his right arm, attempting to stiff-arm his tackler. Maye had just quickly switched the ball to his left hand as the tackler made contact right at the 10-yard line.

“The biggest thing that came to my mind was, ‘Hey, I don’t want to take a TFL (tackle for a loss) here in the red zone. I’ve got to get something out.’ I was stiff-arming the guy with my right hand and just tried to make a play with my left hand. It was just improv.” Indeed it was, as Maye completed the pass into the end zone for a touchdown.

Wanting to make wise use of his time, Maye has been working out some with former San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers.

One NFL draft analyst is clear who he’d take if he were the Commanders

This draft analyst makes it clear who he’d pick if he were Washington.

Adam Peters has a lot of pressure to nail his first draft pick, the second overall in next week’s NFL draft…which quarterback will he select?

Pro Football Focus NFL Draft analyst Trevor Sikkema spent some time with Al Galdi on his podcast discussing UNC quarterback Drake Maye.

Here is yesterday’s summary of his evaluation of LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Here are selected quotes from Sikkema regarding his evaluation of Drake Maye.

“I would be taking Drake Maye, I really would. He is my quarterback No. 2; he has been since last summer, even with what people are saying was a down year. I would push back on that as well.”

“I believe that Drake Maye gives you the ability to step up and hit every single throw in every situation that is demanded of it.”

“Drake Maye does it on all three levels of the field. I mean that he does it short, intermediate, deep, and I also mean outside the numbers, inside the numbers and outside the numbers. He can do everything.”

“Yes, he’s got to clean up some things with his fundamentals. He had some frustrating misses this past year. All of that is correctable.”

“The natural God-given talent he shows, that is the stuff you have to gravitate towards. That is the stuff I always keep going back to. The overall arm talent, it’s that mentality. It’s something I look at and say, ‘Yes, give me this dude to draft and develop and invest in.'”

“Because he has great mobility, I think Drake Maye is always a threat to take it outside the tackles and run…I am not saying he is a one-read quarterback, because he is not…but he gets a little bit of ‘happy feet’. The feet are always bouncing and light but not always married up with where his eyes and arm are going.”

“Sometimes his feet are moving, and there is not really a rhyme or reason to it, and then all of the sudden you get these moments where, ‘Oh shoot, there it is, there is the throw, and I got to get rid of this football, the throwing window is right here’. But his feet are not always married up to where he is releasing the football.”

“That is a habit you have to improve with Maye to stay light on his feet, but be more compact, more married up, be more ready to THROW with more consistency and accuracy.”

Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye? Many analysts have lined up on both sides of the aisle, and Adam Peters has yet to provide a clue. We may not know until the card is read on Thursday night.