The Washington Commanders held true to what most folks thought they would do with the second pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Hoping to find a franchise quarterback at last, the team selected LSU Tigers signal caller Jayden Daniels on Thursday night in Detroit.
Daniels played coy Thursday morning on ESPN’s Get Up program, saying that he was not assured that he’d be the Washington Commanders pick, saying:
“Nah, I ain’t got any assurance. I don’t know what’s going to happen, I don’t know when I’m going to hear my name called or by who so we shall see.”
However, after USC quarterback Caleb Williams went to the Chicago Bears at No. 1, the much maligned Washington Commanders leapt at the chance to take Daniels with pick No. 2. It is the second time in NFL history that Heisman winners have gone 1-2 in the draft. Williams won the 2022 Heisman.
Washington Commanders Hope Daniels Solves Their QB Quandry
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Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, will hopefully bring an end to the Washington Commanders’ years-long search for an effective quarterback. The U.S. Capital’s once-proud franchise has gone through 13 different quarterbacks since Kirk Cousins left for the Minnesota Vikings after the 2017 season.
The 2023 SEC Player of the Year threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns against just four interceptions last season. In addition, Daniels ran for 1,134 yards and 10 more scores via the ground.
A true dual threat player, the Washington Commanders hope that Daniels turns into their version of Lamar Jackson, who plays for the neighboring Baltimore Ravens just 45 minutes away.
No Trade for Washington Commanders
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Teams like the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, and even the New York Giants had been reportedly looking to trade up as high as No. 3. However, like the Bears, the Commanders reportedly had little to no interest in dealing away their No. 2 pick.
Daniels played two years with LSU after transferring from Arizona State, where he had played three seasons. The 23-year-old took up the NCAA’s offer of an added year of eligibility due to his sophomore season being abridged due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He made the most of the added year, upping his statistics across the board during his second senior year in 2023. Passing touchdowns went up from 17 to 40, while he threw just one more interception last season as opposed to the year before despite throwing for 899 more yards in 61 fewer pass attempts.
Washington Commanders Have a Bevy of Draft Picks in 2024
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Now that the team’s most obvious selection is in the books, the Washington Commanders can get down to serious business. As of Thursday night, the team has nine picks total over the NFL Draft’s seven rounds, including two in the second round (Nos. 36 and 40) and three (Nos. 67, 78, 100) in the third round.
The Washington Commanders finished in a three-way tie for the second-worst record in the NFL at 4-13, so there are plenty of positions to fill as the team looks to the future.
Will the team hang on to all of its original selections, or possibly package a few in order to move up? We shall find out over the next three days.
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Tom Carothers is a sportswriter with more than 20 years of experience covering sports at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels. Still longing for the return of his Minnesota North Stars, he has a high pain tolerance as a big fan of the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Browns, and Tottenham Hotspur.
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