Commanders 3-round 2024 NFL mock draft: Problem-solving edition

Commanders draft Drake Maye

• Quarterback | North Carolina Tar Heels
• Round No. 1 | No. 2 overall

Nothing crazy is done early in this mock draft where the Washington Commanders are concerned. It feels pretty simple that Drake Maye is the second-best quarterback prospect in this draft class. Although that is not an opinion shared by everyone, it might be something Adam Peters decides upon when push comes to shove.

The Commanders have been linked to LSU’s Jayden Daniels for months. However, that could potentially be a smokescreen. He is a good prospect in his own right, though there are some concerns with his ability to work over the middle of the field. Still, the Heisman Trophy winner might fit better in offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s scheme.

Maye, on the other hand, feels like a scheme-diverse talent that will allow him to play in any offensive system, including Kingsbury’s Air Raid-like scheme. The North Carolina prospect's internal clock must improve when he has to speed up his process in pressure situations and his efficiency with footwork and overall aggressiveness as a passer. However, the rest of his tape is pretty good.

The 2022 ACC Player of the Year has everything you want in a modern-day quarterback. Maye's arm talent and overall accuracy are among the best in the class. There is also a lot to like about the player's pocket awareness and poise, which have shown great improvement over the last year.

Maye plays with quality anticipation and has the athleticism to be utilized on options and zone reads. When the situation dictates generating yards on the ground when routes aren't developing as anticipated, he's got eye-catching elusiveness and short-area burst to make this happen.

Maye is no sure-fire thing. I do have him ranked higher than the top two selections in last year’s draft, Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. This should say a lot about the type of talent the former four-star high school recruit possesses.