Commanders news: J.J. McCarthy, Nick Allegretti, Josh Harris and trade calls

Commanders draft J.J. McCarthy in NFL.com mock

For the longest part of this pre-draft evaluation process, it seemed like the Washington Commanders would be picking between Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye at No. 2 overall. The Caleb Williams pipe dream died a long time ago. But there's also another prospect entering the discussion after soaring hype in recent weeks.

J.J. McCarthy's odds have tumbled to be the second quarterback chosen. This would be a gamble of epic proportions, but one that cannot be completely dismissed when one looks at the supreme momentum building around the national champion out of Michigan.

This was a topic discussed by Eric Edholm from NFL.com in his latest mock draft. The lead analyst threw a curveball with the Commanders selecting McCarthy over Maye and Daniels. Something that would shake the draft to its core.

"A week ago, I went on DC radio and relayed how people around the league (not affiliated with the Commanders) thought Jayden Daniels might have a better shot of being the second pick than Drake Maye. Now I am pivoting again. The groundswell of [J.J.] McCarthy-to-Washington rumors has only grown in recent days. It won't surprise me if J.J. ends up being the culture changer GM Adam Peters is seeking."

- Eric Edholm, NFL.com

McCarthy's emergence only adds to the intrigue. As previously mentioned, nobody knows what Adam Peters has planned. That might be the case right up until the big night.