NFL Draft Rumors: Chiefs WR fix, Commanders QB stunner, Broncos QB smokescreen?

NFL Draft rumors: Commanders pick Jayden Daniels over Drake Maye in ESPN mock draft

Caleb Williams is the No. 1 pick. That much is a foregone conclusion, whether the Chicago Bears keep the pick or not. The first inflection point is No. 2, when the Washington Commanders are on the clock. All conventional wisdom pegs North Carolina's Drake Maye as the next-best QB prospect, but there is increasing momentum behind the idea of LSU's Jayden Daniels surpassing Maye in Washington's estimation.

The reason why is simple. The Commanders hired former Arizona Cardinals head coach and USC assistant Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator under new head coach Dan Quinn. Kingsbury has a long history of working with mobile, dual-threat QBs — Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech, Kyler Murray in Arizona, Caleb Williams at USC. Daniels is the stronger stylistic fit for Washington, and his dynamism fits the general trend of today's QB position.

ESPN's Mel Kiper officially predicted Daniels as the Commanders' pick in the No. 2 spot in his latest mock draft.

"I'm sticking with Daniels here over Drake Maye (North Carolina), though it's tight. Several NFL teams have Maye over Daniels on their boards two months out from the start of Round 1. I love Daniels' fit with new Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who will run a wide-open offense and put his quarterback in the best position to succeed. Washington already has two really good (and young) wideouts in Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, so Daniels and Kingsbury would be able to start quickly."

Team context is essential for any prospect. The Commanders are the best imaginable landing spot for Daniels near the top of draft boards. The Kingsbury advantage is real. He has a mixed-bag reputation at this point, but Kingsbury knows how to position his QB for success. Daniels would be the beneficiary of a dynamic scheme with several quality playmakers at his disposal. It's a nice setup.

Now, Maye might be the best arm on the board. His size in the pocket, combined with unmatched accuracy and strength on his throws, is what places Maye as the consensus No. 2 prospect on most boards. Even if he isn't the cleanest fit compared to Daniels, he might be the better player. The Commanders should strongly consider both options. There is a ton of value in dual-threat QBs, but Daniels' track record as a thrower pales in comparison to Maye. It's very much a question of upside versus floor.