Commanders Say Quiet Part Out Loud On No. 2 Overall Pick In NFL Draft

The Washington Commanders have been coy about, well, everything related to their draft for months because that's how general manager Adam Peters rolls. But now there is some clarity.

And that clarity comes with the added bonus that it is provided directly by Peters.

Firstly, the Commanders are currently holding the No. 2 overall selection, and we now understand they have practically no intention of trading down from there.

"We feel great about staying at No. 2," Peters said at his pre-draft press conference on Thursday. "I don’t see a whole lot of scenarios where we trade down."

Jayden Daniels #5 of the LSU Tigers. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

The Value Is At Quarterback

Cool. We can work with that because that means the Commanders are picking a quarterback with the No. 2 pick. Everyone understands the Chicago Bears, picking No. 1, are selecting USC's Caleb Williams.

So why would the Commanders pass on the opportunity to select the next-best quarterback prospect in the draft considering Marcus Mariota is the only quarterback on the roster who is a legitimate threat to start?

They're not picking an offensive lineman, although they could use one.

They're not picking a edge rusher, although they could use one.

They'd get good players at those positions with the No. 2 pick but probably wouldn't be getting maximized draft value.

So QB at No. 2 for the Commanders.

Former UNC QB Drake Maye threw some insane passes during his pro day. Watch videos of his passes. What team will draft him? (Credit: Getty Images)

Final Decision Not Yet In

Anything else?

Peters insists his mind is not made up on whom the club is picking. Most mock drafts believe it'll be Jayden Daniels. Most NFL people not working for the Commanders have been whispering for weeks it'll be Daniels.

But Peters is not providing hints. In fact, he says the process for identifying "The Guy" isn't even complete yet.

"Yeah, we're real close," Peters said. "There's still a few more things in the process we have to do. And you guys have maybe been getting that this process-driven, process-oriented, so we have a debrief on our 30 visits with our whole staff. We'll talk about everybody there. We haven't done that yet."

The Commanders' 30 visits the last two days were a hoot, particularly as they involved quarterbacks. 

"And later tonight," Peters continued, "we have a medical meeting as well. We'll go through the overall medicals from the combine and get that information as well and ask pointed questions."

Feb 5, 2024; Ashburn, VA, USA; Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn (M) poses for a picture with Commanders managing partner Josh Harris (L) and Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters (R) at an introductory press conference at Commanders Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Peters And Quinn Will Talk

The draft is next Thursday. And Peters will talk with head coach Dan Quinn to get a final answer on the pick days before.

"We have a few more things," Peters said. "DQ and I will huddle up and probably have an answer sometime next week. I will say this also, you don’t need to make a decision until you need to make a decision. So there’s no rush with that, but I think we’ll have a pretty good idea what we’re doing early next week."

Peters, by the way, was hired this offseason, and he's running his first draft for the Commanders. The pressure's on, Adam.

"Do we look stressed?" Peters asked jokingly.

"There's a lot of pressure. It's a great responsibility. We take this very seriously. That's why we've been working tirelessly. Pressure, that's what we signed up for."