NFL executives believe Commanders will draft J.J. McCarthy with No. 2 overall pick
BOSTON -- Here in New England, it's kind of been assumed that the Patriots will be able to choose whoever is left at quarterback between Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels at No. 3 overall. But it may turn out that the Patriots could have both quarterbacks to pick from when they are finally on the clock.
That's a lot of ifs and maybes, of course, but at this time of year, that's the name of the game.
The latest bit of informed speculation comes from NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, who reported from the NFL owners meetings on Monday that executives around the league expect the Commanders to take Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the No. 2 overall pick.
Here's what Pelissero said:
"It's been really interesting, because everybody is always trying to figure out -- especially at the top of the draft -- what the other teams are doing. When I've had conversations here with executives for other teams who know [Washington GM] Adam Peters well, know the situation well, the most popular answer for what they do at No. 2 is J.J. McCarthy. So a lot of drama still to come."
What do the #Commanders do with the No. 2 pick? I asked Dan Quinn … and then we discussed his answer, on The Insiders. pic.twitter.com/1KZpKEBBR5
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 25, 2024
(Pelissero chimes in just before the 4-minute mark of that video.)
Entering the offseason, the quarterback picture appeared to involve a top tier of Caleb Williams, Maye and Daniels, with McCarthy part of a second tier with Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix. Yet McCarthy, coming off a national championship with Michigan, has steadily climbed up draft boards and entered the picture. (On Monday, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo said they consider the quarterback decision to involve five players.)
This, though, would certainly represent a massive shift for the Commanders, the Patriots, and every other team in the market for a quarterback in the draft.
The world likely won't know if Peters and the Commanders are leaning in this direction until draft night. Peters himself insisted Monday that the Commanders are "far" from making a decision. But for now, the league has suspicions about the Commanders making a decision that could alter directions for multiple franchises.