NFL insider says Commanders have ‘kicked tires’ on top remaining QB prospects

The 2022 NFL Draft has been full of surprises. While the Washington Commanders haven’t necessarily led that charge, they contributed in a big way by being the first team to trade back in the first round Thursday night.

They also surprised almost everybody watching when they drafted Penn State receiver Jahan Dotson with the No. 16 overall pick. Despite catching fans off-guard, the pick has largely been well-received by the fan base.

After all, the team added another weapon for Carson Wentz and now have two additional mid-round selections in tow following the trade.

Having said that, Commanders fans can really do without more surprises in the second and third rounds Friday night. According to the latest rumors, though, Washington could deliver a bigger shocker in Round 2.

Per insider Albert Breer of MMQB, the Commanders have explored the idea of drafting quarterback prospects Sam Howell and Malik Willis.

Are the Commanders targeting a quarterback on Day 2 of the draft?

The article is behind a paywall, so we can’t deliver the full details, but Breer is very connected to all things relating to the NFL Draft. The insider broke several picks on Thursday night, so there’s no reason to second-guess his intel.

Breer’s reporting also aligns with what ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported leading up to the draft. When discussing this year’s quarterbacks, Fowler noted Washington has done “a lot of research” on Ole Miss product Matt Corral.

With now three names seemingly in the mix for the Commanders, these reports strong indicate they’re considering taking a QB tonight. The big takeaway here is Willis, who was disappointed to not hear his named called in the first round.

Commanders head coach Ron Rivera is on the record lauding Willis’ dual-threat ability and even compared the Liberty star’s skillet to that of Cam Newton, whom Rivera famously drafted first overall with the Panthers back in 2011.

Willis clearly has the most upside of this trio, but Howell and Corral have plenty of intrigue as prospects, too. Howell is widely said to have the best deep ball of any signal caller in the draft and is effective as a runner, while Corral’s quick-trigger release and elite athleticism suggest he could develop into a starter.

We wouldn’t fully buy into the idea of Washington drafting a quarterback, but definitely keep it stored somewhere in your mind as their pick approaches. After the trade, the Commanders own picks No. 47 and No. 98 overall.