Todd McShay: Haven't Spoken to NFL Insider Who Ranks Drake Maye Above Jayden Daniels

Draft analyst Todd McShay says all the NFL insiders he's spoken with believe the Washington Commanders should draft LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 pick of Thursday's draft.

"Of the dozens of calls I made from January to now — GMs, personnel directors, scouts — there wasn't one person I've spoken to that believes Drake Maye should be drafted No. 2 ahead of Jayden Daniels," McShay said Tuesday on Pardon My Take (h/t NBC Sports' JP Finlay.)

The Chicago Bears are expected to draft USC signal caller Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick.

The Commanders are in need of a quarterback and will likely be choosing between Daniels and North Carolina's Drake Maye at No. 2.

McShay's prediction matches the latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft from the B/R NFL Scouting Department, which projects Daniels going to the Commanders.

B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen describes Daniels as possessing "excellent burst, agility, and speed for the position."

"Daniels would be best in an offense that leans into his rushing ability and vertical passing, similar to Kyler Murray or Jalen Hurts," Klassen wrote.

That mobility could make Daniels a good fit with newly-hired Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who coached Murray for four seasons during his stint as Arizona Cardinals head coach, McShay said.

"I think, when you look at the system that Drake came from, versus the system that Jayden came from, the two years that Jayden had at LSU, the mobility that he provides has an extra element," McShay said. "Kliff, and what he was able to do with Kyler, and what he's always wanted to do in his system.

"I remember sitting in Kliff's office, talking to him. The next evolution for him was finding more mobility at the quarterback position... that's what Jayden provides. And Drake is mobile, but he's not Jayden."

Daniels checks in at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, which Klassen notes raises concern of injury, especially given Daniels' 25.5 percent pressure-to-sack ratio over his two seasons at LSU (per Nick Akridge of Pro Football Focus.)

His fit with Kingsbury's system could make that risk worth it for the Commanders as the offense looks to shake things up after finishing 2023 as one of the lowest-scoring teams in the NFL.