It's a brand-new era for the Washington Commanders franchise with former 49ers executive Adam Peters coming in as the new general manager and Dan Quinn taking over as the team's head coach. Armed with the second overall pick as well as a bunch of capital on days 2 and 3 of the draft, Peters and Quinn are poised to load up this Commanders roster with talent.
But what can we expect from them, especially with the latest rumors that Heisman winner Jayden Daniels might not want to play in DC? Should we take those reports with a grain of salt?
Ultimately, the Commanders might just be able to set themselves up to make a little bit of noise with the right pieces added in the 2024 NFL Draft. Let's look at a 7-round mock draft for Washington including a move back into the late portion of round one to support their early QB pick.
1. 2nd overall: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Even considering the rumors that Daniels might not want to play in Washington, this seems to be the direction things are trending. Daniels is a tremendous dual-threat at the position, although his unwillingness to stand tall and deliver from the pocket has perhaps raised some questions about his NFL longevity.
There's always going to be something to nit-pick when it comes to NFL Draft prospects. Daniels is an electric athlete who has the playmaker gene. He should instantly upgrade this Commanders offense, but he's going to need some help, and we're going to get it for him in this mock draft scenario.
2. 31st overall (from 49ers): Patrick Paul, OT, Houston
The Commanders pay a little bit of a price here to move up five spots, but they ultimately get a late-first-round pick and a 5th-year option on a big, long-armed, athletic offensive tackle prospect. Patrick Paul might not be everyone's favorite flavor, but his traits are off the charts.
Adam Peters has obvious connections to the 49ers' front office so this type of deal would be easy for him to get done. The Commanders get a blind side protector for their new franchise QB in this outstanding class.
3. 40th overall: Marshawn Kneeland, EDGE, Western Michigan
After trading away both Chase Young and Montez Sweat last year, the Commanders need to supplement those losses in this year's draft. Marshawn Kneeland isn't a carbon copy of Micah Parsons for Dan Quinn to mold off the edge, by any means, but he's got a great combination of size, explosiveness, and length.
4. 67th overall: Max Melton, CB, Rutgers
Dan Quinn loves athletic corners who attack the football in the air, and Max Melton gives him exactly that. Melton gets to stay in the upper northeast and put his big-time speed and ball skills to good use for Quinn. Melton had 30 passes defensed and eight interceptions over the last three seasons at Rutgers.
5. 78th overall: Ja'Lynn Polk, WR, Washington
The Commanders already have Terry McLaurin and former first-round pick Jahan Dotson on the roster, but if you add a quarterback to the roster, you've got to upgrade in the playmaker department. Ja'Lynn Polk is no stranger to having targets divided, and he's also used to maximizing the opportunities he's given. He averaged nearly 17 yards per reception over the last two seasons and is as NFL-ready as they come when it comes to competing for the ball at the catch point.
6. 139th overall: Jared Wiley, TE, TCU
Even after bringing in Zach Ertz in free agency, tight end could and should be addressed by the Commanders in the 2024 NFL Draft, perhaps even earlier than this. Jared Wiley caught 12 touchdown passes over the last two seasons at TCU including eight this past season. He was a team captain, which NFL teams will love, and he had a tremendous Combine workout. He could be a major factor early on in the passing game.
7. 152nd overall: Jalyx Hunt, EDGE, Houston Baptist
Dan Quinn loves to get athletic guys coming off the edge, and Jalyx Hunt is one of the more intriguing small school players in this class. He was a converted safety who ended up dominating as a pass rusher. The Commanders would be getting a player who has as good of a shot as any to outplay his draft status quickly at the next level.
8. 176th overall: Kitan Oladapo, S, Oregon State
Who are the biggest safeties in this year's draft? You might want to pencil at least one of them in for the Commanders. Dan Quinn makes it mandatory to have at least one or two safeties standing 6-foot-2 or bigger, and Kitan Oladapo fits the bill. The former Oregon State star will contribute immediately on special teams and could have a future in the NFL as a box safety.
9. 211th overall: Grayson Murphy, EDGE, UCLA
If you need some pass rush depth, Grayson Murphy is going to give it to you. He might not be built for every-down work off the edge in the NFL, but he's productive in the pass rush department. He racked up 21.5 sacks and 34 tackles for loss over the last few years at UCLA and has some nice burst and explosiveness off the edge. Even if he's not an every-down player right now, he could contribute in a rotation.
10. 222nd overall: Keith Randolph Jr., DL, Illinois
This late in the draft, you're looking for guys who could possibly crack your rotation, special teams, or maybe some players you had rated highly who fell due to medical concerns. Keith Randolph Jr. might not be spectacular in terms of his athletic metrics, but he can play and would give the Commanders a depth piece on the defensive line.