NFL Draft 2024 Rumors: Execs Think Commanders Would Be 'Comfortable' With Drake Maye

Rival NFL executives reportedly believe the Washington Commanders "would be comfortable" with UNC quarterback Drake Maye should he be their choice in April's NFL draft.

Chad Graff and Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported the latest:

"While there has been a longstanding assumption Maye would be the second pick, it's not the consensus opinion around the league. Maye has a massive arm and has drawn plenty of comparisons to Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, but his inconsistent performances last season have given evaluators some pause. Rival executives, however, think the Commanders would be comfortable with Maye."

Washington sits second in the draft right now, one spot below the Chicago Bears at No. 1. With USC signal-caller Caleb Williams the clear favorite to go first, the question then becomes what Washington does at No. 2.

Many analysts think highly of Maye. The B/R NFL Scouting Department notably has him as third on its latest big board, one spot ahead of Williams.

"Overall, Maye is a supremely talented passer," B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen wrote.

"He has the athleticism, arm talent and baseline processing skills to become a weapon at the next level. All he needs to do is cut out some of the 'doing too much' plays. Maye has the skill set to fit in any system and develop into a star."

Klassen also compared Maye to Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.

It's ultimately easy to see why the Commanders would be comfortable with the 6'4", 230-pound Maye, who accounted for 78 total touchdowns (62 passing, 16 rushing) over the past two years. Maye also threw for 9.0 adjusted yards per pass attempt during his three seasons at UNC, and he rushed for 1,209 yards as well.

Washington is coming off a 4-13 season that ended with the firing of head coach Ron Rivera. Former Atlanta Falcons head coach and Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn now runs the show, with ex-Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury calling the shots on offense.

Although second-year pro (and ex-UNC QB himself) Sam Howell had his moments last year in his first go-around as QB1, turnovers and inconsistency also plagued his season. He certainly has potential to improve, but with the Commanders having a chance at a blue-chip quarterback, landing the likes of Maye would certainly be a win as the team embarks on a new era under owner Josh Harris.