NFL Rumors: Drake Maye to Commanders, Jayden Daniels to Patriots Projected by Insider

Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IIFebruary 29, 2024

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Early projections from NFL insider Jeff Howe of The Athletic have Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels going one-two-three in the 2024 NFL draft.

Jeff Howe @jeffphoweBased off combine intel (still a long way to go), my early mock draft would be:

1. Bears: Caleb Williams
2. Commanders: Drake Maye
3. Patriots: Jayden Daniels

Then the Cardinals would be open for business with teams looking to move up to No. 4.https://t.co/fBmSHGMxXI

The NFL Scouting Combine is underway in Indianapolis, signaling a wave of draft rumors and speculation emanating from Lucas Oil Stadium.

By many accounts, it appears Williams is going No. 1 overall. The bigger question is whether Maye or Daniels is QB2, and Howe’s informed guess has the UNC product going ahead of the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.

The latest consensus big board from NFL Mock Draft Database has Williams first, followed by Maye second. Their consensus mock has Williams as the runaway favorite to go first to the Chicago Bears. Maye isn’t nearly as much of a lock to go second, but he’s the choice there to the Commanders.

If the Chicago Bears decide to start over at quarterback and trade Justin Fields, then QB-QB-QB to start the draft makes the most sense. Sam Howell, a 2022 fifth-round choice, got a shot to be QB1 for the Commanders last season.

While he showed flashes and certainly made plays, he also committed too many turnovers and took more sacks than needed. His future is still bright, but Washington is probably best served shooting for a blue-chip signal-caller at No. 2. Maye is notably the top quarterback available on B/R NFL Scouting Department’s big board.

Then there are the Patriots, whose quarterback future is murky. Mac Jones’ great rookie season has given way to two bad years that have featured numerous benchings. So the Patriots could conceivably start over there and choose someone like Daniels.

Another option would be to trade down to a QB-hungry team or take the draft’s No. 1 prospect in Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison. But the most educated guess right now appears to be a QB there.

Howe has that signal-caller as Daniels. We’ll find out for sure on April 25, when the draft begins in Detroit.