Draft analyst disputes report on Commanders plans for No. 2 overall pick

ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter sounded confident earlier this week that the Washington Commanders will make LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels the second overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. 

"Not so fast," ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller wrote for a piece published Friday. Miller is now among those suggesting that Washington could take Michigan Wolverines signal-caller J.J. McCarthy second overall assuming the Chicago Bears draft USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick on the night of April 25. 

"If this was one or two people saying it, I'd probably dismiss it as the usual April draft buzz that doesn't come to fruition," Miller said about the ongoing McCarthy rumors. "But enough sources around the NFL are whispering that McCarthy could very well be the second quarterback off the board that it has to be considered possible at this point." 

Commanders general manager Adam Peters and New England Patriots de facto general manager Eliot Wolf reportedly are high on McCarthy even though many evaluators have ranked the national champion fourth among quarterback prospects beneath Williams, Daniels and Drake Maye of the North Carolina Tar Heels. League insider Jeff Howe of The Athletic revealed on Friday that three out of seven "team executives, coaches and scouts" polled believe Washington will select Daniels. Two said Maye, one predicted McCarthy and the other offered no guess. 

"The Commanders will ultimately decide what works best for their franchise -- and owner Josh Harris, general manager Adam Peters, coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury will likely all be involved in that process," Miller added on Friday, "but ruling out McCarthy in Washington would be foolish based on league-wide intel surrounding the quarterbacks."

McCarthy's rising draft stock – allegedly not related to any smokescreens – has generated headlines seemingly on a daily basis this spring. Rival coaches have praised McCarthy for what he offered Michigan from this past fall through the national title game. Patriots insider Mark Daniels linked LSU signal-caller Daniels with New England via pick No. 3 overall on Friday. Such a prediction indicates Daniels believes Washington could go with either McCarthy or Maye on the final Thursday of April.