Commanders Day 2 NFL mock draft: Brandon Aiyuk trade edition
By Dean Jones
The Washington Commanders seemed to hone in on quarterback Jayden Daniels from a long way out. Adam Peters acknowledged as much once he took the dynamic signal-caller at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, ending months of speculation and hearsay about which direction the franchise would go.
Contrary to what some in the national media tried to spin, Daniels seems thrilled to be Washington's new face of the franchise. There is a lot of hard work ahead, but the Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU is eager to embrace the grind and start repaying the faith shown in him by Peters.
Daniels has the elite intangibles normally associated with productive modern-day quarterbacks. He's a nightmare for opposing defenses to scheme against thanks to his prolific distribution from the pocket and ability to conjure magic on the ground. The Commanders believe there is more to come from the player, which is a scary proposition and one that could benefit the organization considerably.
The Commanders have their new quarterback, but there are many other complications to resolve. Washington resisted the urge to trade back into the first round for one of the top offensive tackle prospects, which immediately became their biggest priority. There's also a need to solidify some defensive positions and improve the weapons around Daniels. Fortunately for Peters, he has no fewer than five selections at his disposal over the second and third rounds.
Using the Pro Football Network simulator, we took a look at how the Commanders might approach their Day 2 selections in this special mock draft. This begins with Peters going back to one of his old employers in pursuit of a trade that would undoubtedly send shockwaves through the entire league.
This would also reunite Daniels with one of his closest friends. Someone he leans on for advice and formed a prolific partnership with during their time together at Arizona State. Brandon Aiyuk.