NFL Mock Draft Roundup: Mel Kiper Jr. goes two rounds for the Washington Commanders

What do the mockers think Washington needs next year?

We’re 15 days away from this year’s NFL draft in Detroit, and it doesn’t seem like we’re any closer to figuring out what the Washington Commanders are going to do with the No. 2 overall pick. New GM Adam Peters and HC Dan Quinn have been the most active team in free agency, already adding 23 new players to the team’s 91-man offseason roster. Sam Howell was last season’s starter, but he was traded away to the Seattle Seahawks, and Marcus Mariota is QB1 heading into the draft.

Washington is drafting a quarterback on April 25th, and they’re most likely doing it with the second overall pick. Caleb Williams is a near-lock to go to the Chicago Bears with the first pick, leaving Peters the options of LSU’s Jayden Daniels or North Carolina’s Drake Maye. Washington could also draft anyone else they feel is worth the pick, including Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, or maybe trade down to continue rebuilding the team, while still drafting a QB from the next tier.

There was a trade down from the No. 2 overall pick in this week’s roundup, which was immediately followed by a trade back up to #4 to grab a QB. Jayden Daniels continues to be the most popular pick, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. is sticking with him going to Washington. Kiper went two rounds in his latest mock, and also added help on the offensive line and in the Commanders secondary. Drake Maye still has a vocal backing as the #2 QB in the draft, but his odds of being the second QB off the board have dropped again. J.J. McCarthy gets some love at #2, and you’ll have to check out Bleacher Report’s mock to figure out how Washington lands Caleb Williams at #2.

We’re almost there, but we’ve got a lot more smoke and mirrors to get through. Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye both have their Top 30 visits scheduled with the Washington Commanders next week.

Washington Commanders 2024 NFL Draft picks

Round 1(#2)

Round 2(#36)

Round 2 (#40 from CHI)

Round 3 (#67)

Round 3 (#78 from SEA)

Round 3 (#100 from SF)

Round 5 (#139)

Round 6 (#152 from SEA)

Round 7 (#222)

(via Tankathon)

Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

E$PN+(Kiper)

I’m sticking with Daniels, whom I’ve projected to the Commanders in my three previous mock drafts. Why? I have him ranked higher than Drake Maye (North Carolina) and J.J. McCarthy (Michigan) and really like his fit in an offense designed by Kliff Kingsbury.

Washington traded away 2023 starter Sam Howell last month, clearing a spot for a rookie quarterback to take the reins. Daniels, who produced more than 15,000 combined passing and rushing yards at Arizona State and LSU, has all the tools to be a Pro Bowl passer. The Commanders need to keep building the infrastructure around him, though, and they have four picks on Day 2 — two in the second round, two in the third — to help.

Round 2: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona

With Charles Leno Jr. released this offseason, the Commanders have a hole at left tackle. Morgan started 35 games there in college. His tape is extremely consistent — in both the pass and run games, he rarely blew his assignments.

Round 2: Max Melton, CB, Rutgers

Now that I gave the Commanders their quarterback and left tackle of the future, it’s time to focus on the defense. They ranked last in the league in passing yards allowed to receivers (3,167) and lost Kendall Fuller in free agency. Melton was one of my risers after the combine. The four-year starter has the physical traits to be an early contributor.

NFL.com(Jones-Drew)

The Heisman Trophy winner is the most explosive quarterback in this class, as he can hurt defenses equally with his arm and legs. The upside Daniels provides at the position helps the Dan Quinn era start off on the right foot in Washington.

NFL.com(Rank)

Daniels should be the second player off the board. That’s why I have him listed here. But I’m telling you, Commanders, you are not a quarterback away from seriously competing. You could be next year — if you were to take multiple first-round picks from the Vikings in exchange for this selection. Or if the Broncos/Raiders were willing to give you a haul like the Panthers shelled out for the right to take Bryce Young one year ago. I know you saw the Texans take a quarterback at No. 2 overall last year, surge to the top of the division and win a playoff game. Now you think that’s in the cards for you in 2024, huh? Well, I just don’t see it like that.

However, I feel like there is no way of talking you out of sticking and picking a quarterback. So, yes, go with Daniels.

NFL.com(Reuter)

During Daniels’ pro day, it was obvious he had been working on his pocket-movement skills. He’ll be very effective in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense if he’s able to add improved footwork to his whip of an arm and elusive running skills.

Round 2: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona

Round 2: Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa

Round 3: Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon

Round 3: Theo Johnson, TE, Penn State

Round 3: Cedric Johnson, EDGE, Mississippi

Round 5: Keilan Robinson, RB, Texas

Round 5: Dominic Puni, G, Kansas

The Athletic(Standig)

There are three forms of the mock draft (beat writer, first round, Commanders-only) in which the reigning Heisman Trophy winner is the call at No. 2. That’s a nod to interpreting evaluations and insight from various league sources on the prospects, not the Washington regime’s internal thinking. Similar to the head-coaching search, the new guys aren’t talking.

While multiple league sources see a clear separation between Caleb Williams and Daniels from others, Washington might be smitten with Maye’s prototype size and deep ball prowess. Perhaps McCarthy’s winning edge and efficiency with processing defensive schemes is the differentiator. Some see Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix as first-round worthy, though not as high as two. Could Peters see one of those Pac-12 alums combined with a trade-down for a bushel of picks as the best path for a team with many holes?

The answer to all of those hypotheticals is … we’ll see. The sources — a combination of general managers, personnel executives, scouts, former players, quarterbacks and others — offered candid views, the totality of which left a fuzzy picture. Except for Daniels. His meteoric rise during his final season at LSU — 40 touchdown passes compared to 49 in his first 43 games — showcased dual-threat dynamism and arm talent.

“Jayden probably made more progress (year over year) than any QB coming out in the last five or six years,” said one high-ranking NFC scout. “He can anticipate, make all the throws and is a great athlete.”

Daniels is more of a scrambler with blazing speed than a quarterback itching to run at all times. There are concerns about how his 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame will hold up against rugged pros, especially if he cannot avoid the punishing hits he took in college. One scout cringed over the possible outcome if the acquiring team didn’t tailor its offensive plan around Daniels’ strengths.

The former Arizona State quarterback also has roughly double the number of starts as Maye and McCarthy should Washington seek an immediate contributor. The praise outweighed the concerns enough to distinguish Williams and Daniels from the pack.

“Two guys can play right now,” one assistant coach said. “Everyone else is a big maybe.”

If Peters concurs — as The Athletic’s consensus big board shows, public evaluators largely do not — and with Williams projected as the first overall pick, the GM would be hard-pressed to skip Daniels at No. 2.

Round 2: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona

Those familiar with my first-round mock draft from last month might call me a hypocrite. First off, how dare you. The reason for such potential blasphemy is that the most recent version had Washington trading into the first round for an offensive tackle because the higher-rated big men, including Morgan, wouldn’t stay on the board long enough for the Commanders to take at 36. That remains my primary view.

Morgan, a 6-5, 311-pound lineman with 5.04 40-yard speed, is typically ranked eighth among incoming tackles, as is the case in our consensus big board. The first seven names are in the top 30, with Morgan at 34. From there, the next tackle listed is BYU’s Kingsley Suamataia at 53, followed by Yale’s Kiran Amegadjie (66) and Houston’s Patrick Paul (67).

If more corners or receivers push themselves into the 27-35 range, maybe a tackle or two slide. Some teams might see Morgan, a three-year left tackle at Arizona, as an NFL guard or worry about his 2022 ACL tear even after he recovered to earn All-Pac-12 honors last season. This scenario is about Washington rolling the dice or at least willing to wait before grabbing a tackle. These draft slot estimates aren’t gospel, but trading up might be required if the Commanders want to ensure a certain projection level or any tackle tasked with protecting a rookie quarterback’s blindside. Washington can allow any rookie tackle to develop behind Cornelius Lucas.

Commanders send No. 40 to the Saints for Nos. 45, 170 and a 2025 third-rounder

Round 2: T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State

Expecting an edge rusher here? I was until I added 2025 thoughts to 2024 position assessments. Washington cobbled together a D-end rotation in free agency but still needs pass-rush talent. The big swing there might be next year when the Commanders may have another top-10 selection based on projected win totals from oddsmakers.

Another consideration is their 2024 big board. Some public versions have more corners than edge rushers in the top 50, but the ratio is flipped for the Commanders’ next selection (67).

Tampa skipped workouts at the NFL combine because of a hamstring injury but ran a 4.59 40-yard dash at the recent Big 12 combine.

From The Athletic’s draft insider Dane Brugler’s big board: “With his height and arm length (32 1/2 inches), Tampa matches up well with size at receiver and shows the coordination and leaping skills to make plays on the football. He can operate from press-man and turn and run on vertical routes. He also can quickly read and react in zone, either outside or in the slot.”

Round 3: Bralen Trice, DE, Washington

Positional importance could push Trice and other edge rushers higher. There are enough targets in the projected 50-70 range to strongly believe the Commanders can snag sincere help, whether that’s Kneeland, Kansas’ Austin Booker or Trice, the Huskies’ sacks leader the past two seasons.

Brugler’s pre-combine big board slotted the 6-3, 280-pound Trice at No. 56. One league scout told The Athletic this week he felt 67 was too high for the two-time All-Pac-12 selection.

Round 3: Blake Fisher, OT, Notre Dame

Two tackles in the first 78 selections aren’t a case of faulty memory or a misunderstanding of how starting lineups work. Instead, it’s an acknowledgment of positional value and helping a young quarterback. Lucas, a possible Week 1 starter, only signed a one-year deal. Right tackle Andrew Wylie’s 2025 salary equals cap cut potential. There’s massive uncertainty with 2023 fourth-round pick Braeden Daniels following a redshirt season.

Fisher started 23 games at right tackle for the Fighting Irish before entering the draft after his junior season. Some teams may see the 6-6, 312-pound tackle as a value play on either side since he might have been a top 25-50 pick with another year in college.

Brugler: “Fisher will entice evaluators with his size, compete skills and foot quickness — and he’ll drive them crazy with his inconsistent balance, technique and timing. His hands and feet are too often disjointed and can be exposed by savvy defenders, who will set traps for him. However, Fisher has several tools that cannot be coached, and his best football is ahead of him.”

Round 3: Brenden Rice, WR, USC

The Commanders signed free agent Olamide Zaccheaus and retained Jamison Crowder but have yet to adequately replace Curtis Samuel or add needed size next to Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson.

Enter Jerry Rice’s son. Rice isn’t some Megatron clone (6-2) or track star (4.5 40-yard time), but he caught 12 touchdown passes on 45 receptions for the Trojans last season with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury on staff.

The Athletic(Feldman)

This group of quarterbacks has had some wild journeys in college. Daniels left an imploding Arizona State program for the SEC, where he turned some heads with a strong debut season in 2022. The following season, he put up staggering numbers and won the Heisman. In 2021 at Arizona State, he threw 10 touchdowns and just as many picks. Last year at LSU, he threw 40 touchdowns and four picks, running for 10 more TDs and over 1,100 yards. Colleague Alec Lewis had a terrific story on the high-tech German VR flight simulator that helped spark Daniels’ special season.

Daniels has a tight repeatable release to go with unbelievable feet and the ability to stay balanced. Where LSU coaches saw the most growth was in his trust in his progressions. Daniels isn’t as thick as Williams or as big as other QBs in this draft. He arrived from ASU at a wiry 187 pounds, but he played at 207 pounds last year.

The Commanders have new leadership with GM Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn (and new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury). Last year’s starting QB Sam Howell was traded to Seattle. Washington has a bunch of QB options from which to pick. Whether LSU coach Brian Kelly did indeed tip the hand on which quarterback the Commanders are taking remains to be seen, but our hunch is they grab the other Heisman winner in this draft, a player whose mobility will give defenses headaches.

The Coaching Intel

“I tell people this: Outside of Patrick Mahomes, I haven’t coached against someone like this. He’s just very hard to defend. We tried to force him to run it to take it out of his hands. The throws he makes and the timing he has, I thought was second to none. He throws the deep ball extremely accurately.”

“As a junior (in 2022), he would just hang onto the ball, but he got so much better playing quarterback. Without him, with as bad as they were on defense, I think they’d win six games. Tops. If there’s a concern if you’re an NFL team, it’s that he will take some shots and he is narrow. How well will he hold up?”

“He improved a lot. He’s a really good deep ball thrower with more than above-average arm strength. Those 15-, 20-yard touch throws were better than I thought. He didn’t look like he was that fast, but he just glides and runs by people, and he outruns their angles. Florida wasn’t very good last year but they still had team speed, and even when they had angles on him, he’d run by them. When you eyeball him before the game, he doesn’t look very big, but he’d lower his shoulder and could take punishment.”

The Ringer(Kelly)

The Commanders have taken a similar tack to the Bears in free agency, bolstering their skill position groups with experienced veterans who can ease the transition for an incoming rookie signal caller. Washington added running back Austin Ekeler and tight end Zach Ertz and signed a couple of offensive linemen, including center Tyler Biadasz, bolstering an offense that already included receivers Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. That should help Daniels hit the ground running.

Scouting report: Daniels put together one of the most magnificent statistical performances in college football history en route to a Heisman Trophy in 2023. He passed for 3,812 yards with 40 touchdowns and just four picks to go with 1,134 yards and 10 scores on the ground. He led the country in total yards (4,946), yards per game (412.2), yards per play (10.7), and total touchdowns (50). Pretty good!

The LSU star is tall, with a slender frame, quick release, and aggressive mentality—as both a passer and runner. He is silky smooth in his dropback and plays with a calm helmet in the pocket, staying balanced and ready as he goes through his progression. He looks to push the ball downfield and was one of the best deep ball passers in the country, tallying 27 big-time throws (tied for fourth in the FBS) and 22 touchdowns (first) with just one turnover-worthy play on passes of 20-plus yards, per Pro Football Focus. He’s especially potent on passes deep down the sidelines, where he shows Russell Wilson–esque touch and accuracy on moon shots down the field. He throws with ease on the move and can make plays outside the pocket.

Daniels was incredibly efficient playing from clean pockets in 2023, notching FBS bests in both passer rating (146.2) and average yards per attempt (11.5), per PFF. Critically, though, he was very good under pressure, too, finishing with a 123.5 passer rating (second to Bo Nix) on those plays and tossing five touchdowns with no picks while averaging 11.1 yards per attempt (first). When the play or protection breaks down, he shows instincts for moving to avoid pressure; he’s very quick in the short area and makes it hard for defenders to get their hands on him, frequently slipping through cracks before juking defenders in space. Once he’s out of the pocket, he can score from pretty much anywhere on the field. He’s not quite Lamar Jackson as a runner and scrambler, but he’s just a tier below; he takes great angles, varies his speed, jukes defenders out of their socks, and can hit the turbo booster to scoot through holes that you didn’t think were there. He’s slippery and quick when used on designed run game concepts, and his speed changes the way defenses have to line up against him. His extensive experience could be a big draw for teams looking to hit the ground running in 2024; Daniels is a five-year starter with 55 games and nearly 1,500 pass attempts on his résumé.

While Daniels flashes very good accuracy on deep shots, he has average arm strength, and his passes lack top-tier velocity. He can make every throw, but the ball tends to hang—and that’s an issue that’s exacerbated when he’s not balanced. There are times when he leaves throws behind his receivers, and he sprays the ball when his feet aren’t set. His scrambles typically turn into runs, and he may need to work to extend plays as a passer more often. He has a slender frame and may need to bulk up at the next level, especially if he’s going to be used as a dual-threat QB. He doesn’t always protect himself when running and opens himself up to massive hits at times.

CBS Sports(Douzable)

Daniels is a dynamic athlete with amazing touch from in the pocket. On paper, he should jell perfectly with new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Grade: A

CBS Sports(Galko)

I expect to see a lot of reports the next few weeks of their interest in Daniels, Drake Maye and JJ McCarthy. Good chance the Commanders already know who they’re taking at this point, and Daniels feels like a good fit for Kliff Kingsbury’s offense.

CBS Sports(Prisco)

Jayden Daniels would be a perfect fit in their system under Kliff Kingsbury. He can move, but he’s also a good passer when asked to do so from the pocket.

CBS Sports (Trapasso)

This feels lay-up-ish, doesn’t it? Jayden Daniels can be an explosive playmaker orchestrating Kliff Kingsbury’s spread offense.

Round 2: Chris Braswell, EDGE, Alabama

Round 2: Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU

Round 3: D.J. James, CB, Auburn

Round 3: Beau Brade, S, Maryland

Round 3: Ainias Smith, WR, Texas A&M

USA Today(Middlehurst-Schwartz)

Could J.J. McCarthy end up as high as No. 2 to Washington? It’s a fun hypothetical, but it still sounds too far-fetched. For now, Daniels makes plenty of sense as the centerpiece for Washington’s reboot under Dan Quinn and Adam Peters, as he can alternate between a poised distributor from the pocket and an electric threat as a runner.

The 33rd Team(Lee)

Vikings Receive: 2024 No. 2, No. 40

Commanders Receive: 2024 No. 11, No. 23, 2025 first-round pick, 2025 fourth-round pick

I recognize that this is more of a me thing than reading any tea leaves from the league, but I still have a difficult time grasping that Jayden Daniels is in serious consideration as a top-five pick given the issues in his game. If there’s a place where it would make sense, it would be playing for Kliff Kingsbury’s spread offense with the Washington Commanders — after trading down and accumulating more draft capital for the rebuild.

Daniels is reminiscent of Jalen Hurts, Justin Fields, Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III – in the sense that he has two modes of play. As a runner, he’s dynamic and brings elite speed and creativity that defenses must be prepared for. As a passer, though, those quick twitch muscles don’t translate to pocket navigation — and there are accuracy and anticipation issues that limit how much you can put on his plate. At least in Washington, Kingsbury can use his quarterback run game and stripped-down passing game to maximize Daniels better than in other situations.

1st round(#23): I’m not sure Commanders fans would see it the same way, but if you left the first round with a (lesser) quarterback and edge rusher to help usher in the next era, I see that as a victory in the rebuilding process. Chop Robinson is the kind of edge that Dan Quinn loves.

A pure speed rusher off the edge, Robinson can step right into the league and affect the game on passing downs in a way that suggests he has star potential. There are obvious issues in run defense, but Quinn is good about liberating guys to take chances at TFLs, and it may suit his playstyle best to gamble than trying to win the edge on every snap.

Yahoo Sports(McDonald)

The Commanders are going quarterback no matter what here. They’ve cleared the runway for a signal-caller, which is Daniels in this case. He had a monster season to close out his college career, winning the Heisman and putting up video game-level numbers. He has concerns about his physical build and how he’ll hold up with his reckless style of play, but he’s undoubtedly an upgrade over what the team has recently had.

DraftTek

Well, we finally know for sure who the Commanders have been targeting as their new quarterback. Jeff Driskel! Seriously, though, after nearly three decades of a Washington organization that purposefully leaked information left and right, no one (and I truly mean no one) has any clue as to what Peters, Quinn and Co. have in their plans for the second overall pick.

Every year since I can remember I have known the ‘Skins target(s) by the start of April, but I, nor the top people I trust have any idea, with some truly believing Washington may trade down for a bevy of picks. I was leaning hard toward Jayden Daniels a few weeks ago because of his athleticism and upside. But, as I have stated previously, Drake Maye has underrated athleticism, has a much more prototypical frame, and has far more tape displaying his tight-window throws over the middle.

For now, though, I will stick with the former Tiger who certainly has all of the ability to develop into a more nuanced passer into the middle windows of the field. I won’t lie, though, that picture of his elbow has me absolutely baffled.

Round 2: Ennis Rakestraw Jr, CB, Missouri

The Commanders lost their CB1 Kendall Fuller to free agency. Emmanuel Forbes, the guy picked to replace him at pick #16 in the 2023 Draft, started his career on the wrong foot, surrendering a 121.2 Passer Rating into his coverage, a 50.9 PFF grade and an 18.8% missed tackle rate.

Here GM Adam Peters needs to buff up the 2024 secondary with the early Day 2 pick of Ennis Rakestraw. That or hope that Forbes markedly improves in the offseason. As they (annoying bosses everywhere) say: “Hope is not a strategy”.

Round 2: Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas

The Commanders signed free agent Zach Ertz to replace outgoing Logan Thomas. But not really. Ertz is 33 years old and peaked in 2018 when he amassed a whopping 116 catches for 1163 yards and 8 TDs. He’s fine as a complementary TE-2 but an infusion of talent is needed.

More known for pass-catching prowess, Ja’Tavion Sanders mere 4 reps on the bench press at pro day are indicative of a lack of upper body strength.

Round 3: Adisa Isaac, EDGE, Penn State

The Commanders gave away edge rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat last year, replacing them for 2024 with free agents Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler and Clelin Ferrell. The latter two on 1-year deals. The team will look to the Draft to add Adisa Isaac to the rotation, with Isaac taking on a bigger role in 2025.

Round 3: Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington

The Commanders need a big to complement Terry McLaurin (6’0”) and Jahan Dotson (5’11”). Enter Washington Huskie Ja’Lynn Polk. Polk at 6’2” averaged 16.8 yards per catch on 69 receptions. A 75.0 PFF composite grade is highlighted by a 78.3 grade for the Drop component. Polk dropped just 4 balls in 108 targets.

Round 3: Roger Rosengarten, OT, Washington

A polarizing prospect. Roger Rosengarten’s 9.59 RAS score has prompted some (Mel Kiper) to include RR in the First Round. Still, many GMs remember Rosengarten’s problems versus Michigan in the National semi-finals. He allowed 5 pressures on Michael Penix Jr., committing a couple of killer penalties in the process.

Walter Football(Campbell)

The new Washington regime can start fresh with its own quarterback. Considering Kliff Kingsbury was hired as the offensive coordinator, I could see the Commanders preferring Jayden Daniels over Drake Maye. I’ve heard that some in the building prefer Maye, some like Daniels and there are voice of support for J.J. McCarthy. New general manager Adam Peters is the deciding vote, and I’ve heard he is inclined to go with Daniels.

Daniels completed 72 percent of his passes in 2023 for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns and four interceptions. He notched 10 rushing touchdowns as well. Daniels is a dual-threat quarterback who showed improvement as a passer throughout the 2022 season with LSU. He has a quality arm and is a dangerous runner with shocking speed. While he has plenty of room for growth, he became more consistent with pocket-passing accuracy and reading the field as he gained experience. Team sources said they feel Brian Kelly did a nice job of developing Daniels.

Daniels completed 69 percent of his passes in 2022 for 2,913 yards, 17 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also went for 885 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. While playing for Arizona State in 2021, Daniels completed 65 percent of his passes for 2,380 yards, 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He was impressive in 2019, showing playmaking ability as a passer and runner while producing points for the Sun Devils, but he did not look as good in the short 2020 season.

Round 2: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona

The Commanders need a lot of help on the offensive line. Here’s a plug-and-play upgrade who could be their long-term left tackle.

Morgan had an impressive senior year to help himself with NFL scouts. The 6-foot-5, 325-pound possesses excellent athleticism on the edge with good height, weight and quickness. Morgan was a mainstay for the Wildcats as a starter over the past three seasons. In 2022, he allowed one sack in 670 total snaps. Morgan had a quality week at the Senior Bowl, but showed extremely short arms at 32.88 inches. There is no doubt that Morgan is super athletic and quick, however he has a soft style of play and is not a finisher. Morgan needs to get stronger and meaner for the NFL.

Round 2: Max Melton, CB, Rutgers

The Commanders grab more cornerback talent.

In 2023, Melton recorded 32 tackles, three interceptions and six passes broken up. He went under the radar in 2022 due to playing on a bad Rutgers team that failed to qualify for a bowl game. He totaled 33 tackles, two interceptions and nine passes broken up on the year. While Max Melton had not received a lot of media attention, he caught fire in the scouting community for the 2023 NFL Draft. Some evaluators said they thought Melton could have been one of the top cornerback prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft and had a shot at being the first one off the board. However, Melton went back to school.

Melton was listed at 6-foot, 190 pounds, but pro sources said he might be more like 5-foot-11, 188 pounds. He measured in at the combine at 5-foot-11, 187 pounds. They state Melton has excellent speed and is super fast at shutting down the deep part of the field. Receivers can’t outrun him, and he is a superb athlete who can run the routes to prevent separation. Melton is a tough competitor and has a lot of upside.

Round 3: Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale

The Commanders could use multiple young offensive line talents.

Amegadjie (6-5, 323) impressed area scouts with his play at Yale. Along with doing well on the field, Amegadjie has an NFL body with height, weight, and long arms – 36.13 inches. Amegadjie has a good skill set to work with, but he is a developmental project who needs work on his technique, footwork and instincts.

Round 3: Jermaine Burton, WR, Alabama

Washington lost Curtis Samuel in free agency. Here’s a third receiver for the team’s new quarterback.

The 6-foot, 200-pound Burton has a superb skill set, as he is extremely fast and a tremendous separator. To go along with quality size and having great speed, Burton is a terrific route-runner, which leads to him consistently torching coverage. In 2023, Burton recorded 39 catches for 798 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2022, he totaled 40 receptions for 677 yards and seven touchdowns. While Burton has first-round ability, his character issues are massive and are going to be a death blow for some teams. His character problems were part of his background at Georgia, and sources say Burton was in the dog house at both Georgia and Alabama. That led to loss of playing time, and the character issues played a part in him not executing on the field with frequent missed assignments.

Round 3: James Williams, LB, Miami

Washington adds some linebacker depth.

In 2023, Williams totaled 73 tackles, an interception and four passes broken up. He recorded 59 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble and six passes broken up in 2022. The 6-foot-4, 224-pounder played strong safety at Miami, but Williams will probably have to move to Will – weakside – linebacker at the pro level. To go along with good size and speed, Williams is consistent in terms of his eye discipline, technique and tackling. His instincts aren’t bad either, and he has some coverage ability alongside flashes of physicality. Williams could be a good fit at linebacker.

The Draft Network(Parson)

The Commanders need a difference-maker at the QB position that they haven’t had in quite some time. Jayden Daniels’ accuracy and elite athleticism give Washington what they need.

Round 2: Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale

Round 2: Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas

Round 3: Max Melton, CB, Rutgers

Round 3: Theo Johnson, TE, Penn State

Round 3: Jacob Cowing, WR, Arizona

NFL Spin Zone(Scataglia)

My hunch is that the Commanders take Jayden Daniels and bank on him being able to reach his full potential as a true dual-threat passer, learning under the guidance of Kliff Kingsbury, the team’s offensive coordinator.

Round 2: Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU

The Commanders just need a total rebuild of their offense, and after getting the quarterback, they’ll focus on trying to stabilize their tackle situation for the long-term with Kingsley Suamataia from BYU.

Round 2: Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn loves a versatile defensive back, so I almost think it makes too much sense for the team to draft Cooper DeJean, who might truly be able to play safety and cornerback at the next level.

Round 3: Caelen Carson, CB, Wake Forest

The Commanders are going to have a heavy emphasis on defense during this draft even while rebuilding their offense. Carson had 26 passes defended over his collegiate career and is someone who has a nose for the football. That’s a perfect DB for a Dan Quinn defense.

Round 3: Cedric Gray, LB, North Carolina

More talent on defense for the Commanders as they take Cedric Gray near the top of the third round. Notably, the Commanders added Bobby Wagner at linebacker in free agency and continue to add to this unit with Gray.

Round 3: Cade Stover, TE, Ohio State

The Commanders need to give their new quarterback Jayden Daniels as many weapons as possible to maximize his chances at development. Stover caught 10 touchdown passes across the last two years at Ohio State.

If you’re someone who is tired of all the mock drafts, I truly don’t blame you, but our latest mock here at NFL Spin Zone is another three-rounder. The anticipation until the real-deal later this month is palpable. Did your favorite team come away with a good haul in our latest mock draft? What would you change?

Pro Football Network(Catalina)

The Washington Commanders have been big-time players in free agency, and their approach reeks of a team ready to add a young quarterback to their roster.

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter was quoted as saying he believes Jayden Daniels should be “penciled in” at the No. 2 spot. In my mind, he enters the league with a new regime in Washington that looks eager to compete from Day 1, putting him in the best position to be successful.

Tankathon

Round 2: Darius Robinson, EDGE, Missouri

Round 2: Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU

Round 3: Kris Abrams-Draine, CB, Missouri

Round 3: Cade Stover, TE, Ohio State

Round 3: Tez Walker, WR, North Carolina

Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

NFL.com(Lewis)

The Commanders have been associated or connected to almost every QB worthy of consideration with this pick since the start of the draft process, but I keep coming back to Maye. If you look past the production drop-off in 2023, a year in which you could still see the elite traits, Drake has all the makings of a culture-changing franchise QB.

The Athletic(Baumgardner)

Maye is still growing as a passer, particularly in his consistency processing from the pocket. When you stack him up next to Jayden Daniels, though, Maye’s strengths are stronger and the weaknesses are similar. This will be a preference decision for Adam Peters and the Washington front office. For me, Maye is QB2.

Round 2: Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia

Round 2: Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale

Round 3: Tommy Eichenberg, LB, Ohio State

Round 3: Jalen McMillan, WR, Washington

Round 3: Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami

CBS Sports(DeArdo)

Maye lands in D.C. after lighting up the ACC during his two years as North Carolina’s starting QB. He’ll get the keys to a revamped offense that continues to feature veteran wideout Terry McLaurin.

CBS Sports (Edwards)

As the process has moved forward, I have felt that Drake Maye is the second best quarterback prospect in this draft class and that Washington is likely to take him at No. 2 overall.

CBS Sports(Fornelli)

While I’m taking a different approach to this mock with the QBs, I’m not changing the top two. The Bears and Commanders will take a QB. The only question is whom the Commanders take, and I’m going with Drake Maye because he’s No. 2 on my board.

CBS Sports(Podell)

It’s a new regime in Washington. General manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn look to kick off their franchise-altering draft class that includes six of the first 102 picks with their face-of-the-franchise QB. Maye was the only FBS player with 7,000-plus passing yards and 1,000-plus rushing yards in the past two seasons. Maye also said at his combine presser that it didn’t seem like the Bears were very familiar with who he was. Maye will be here at number two, and given his age and eye-popping throws on tape, he should be the pick.

Pro Football Focus(Chadwick)

The draft really starts at No. 2, where it seems to be a toss-up between Maye and Jayden Daniels for the Commanders. Maye gets the nod here for having considerably more arm talent than Daniels and having two years of 90.0-plus PFF grades, whereas Daniels has only one.

Establish the Run(Silva)

Loosely comparable to Bills QB Josh Allen, Maye is an aggressive dropback thrower and high-production scrambler who averaged 8.4 yards per pass attempt and scored 16 rushing TDs over his final two seasons as a Tar Heel. The Commanders allegedly sent Sam Howell to Seattle for virtually nothing because Howell and Maye are tight (UNC), and Washington didn’t want that dynamic in its quarterback room.

J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

USA Today(Davis)

Raiders trade up to #2

New Silver and Black HC Antonio Pierce, who was an associate head coach at Arizona State when Daniels played there and badly desires a multi-threat quarterback, is trying to manifest this into existence. Raiders WR Davante Adams is trying to manifest it into existence. ESPN’s Adam Schefter keeps reporting how desperately Las Vegas wants to get into position for the 2023 Heisman winner. Daniels himself has entertained the notion of playing in Sin City, saying at his pro day, “That would be crazy if that happened.” The Raiders would be a plus situation for a rookie passer given the presence of Adams, a decent offensive line, good enough defense and veteran QB Gardner Minshew II, whose arrival via free agency would mean Daniels wouldn’t have to play right away. One slight issue: GM Tom Telesco would likely have to surrender at least three first-round picks, including No. 13 overall this year, to make this happen – and such a package might only be a conversation starter with a Washington team that also covets a franchise QB.

Washington trades up to #4

A three-way trade at draft time isn’t especially viable, but the framework can be in place if you know where you want to go. New Washington GM Adam Peters needs a quarterback (and purportedly loves the former Wolverines star) but could also use more draft freight to build up the remainder of the Commanders’ roster. If you can get a bounty from the Raiders while gambling you can get back up to No. 4 – and Cards GM Monti Ossenfort, who is set behind center with Kyler Murray, has clearly signaled this spot is for sale – you might be able to accomplish some things. And it’s reasonable to think Peters could do this by sending Arizona the first-rounder obtained from Las Vegas, his second-rounder (36th overall) and maybe a third or fourth to seal the deal.

Peters comes from San Francisco and has watched QB Brock Purdy elevate the Niners. McCarthy has some similarities but with far more impressive physical skills than what you’d expect from a “Mr. Irrelevant.” Given what’s in place in Washington from a receiver standpoint and what Peters could add to the O-line and elsewhere by making such a move could put McCarthy back in a familiar position – managing a talented team while growing into a player who can carry one.

Barstool Sports(Blutman)

Whether you’re in on him or not, it’d be foolish to neglect that JJ McCarthy sits at the top of the draft board for numerous franchises. Is Washington one of those? In early March I had heard rumblings about Washington being intrigued by McCarthy, a few weeks later and there was massive odds movement for the No. 2 overall pick. This could very well be smoke and Jayden Daniels could be the obvious pick after all… but mock drafts give us plenty of opportunities to formulate the endless possibilities and have fun doing it. So let’s take a shot here and let it simmer for a while.

Caleb Williams, QB, USC

Bleacher Report

Much like the Chicago Bears, the Washington Commanders are quarterback shopping, and they paved the way for one to be the selection with this year’s second overall pick.

However, head coach Dan Quinn and Co. must wait to see what the Bears do before finalizing their plans. As of now, Caleb Williams is a massive favorite to become the No. 1 overall pick.

But here, Williams is still available for the Commanders because his status as QB1 isn’t a foregone conclusion among the B/R Scouting Department.

“Williams, like Drake Maye, checks just about every box,” Klassen said. “Williams is a slippery, explosive athlete with mind-bending arm talent and all the confidence in the world to wield it. The accuracy to all three levels and pocket management from Williams are top-tier stuff.

“In Washington, the main concern is that their putrid offensive line will only exacerbate Williams’ tendency to hold onto the ball.”

A reunion with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury certainly doesn’t hurt matters.

Round 2: Jordan Morgan, iOL, Arizona

Round 2: T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State

Round 3: Jonah Elliss, EDGE, Utah

Round 3: Johnny Wilson, WR, Florida State

Round 3: Jaylin Simpson, S, Auburn