Maye vs. Daniels: Which Direction Should Washington Go?

Getty 2024 NFL draft quarterback prospects Drake Maye (left), Caleb Williams (middle) and Jayden Daniels (right)

The debate over which quarterback the Washington Commanders should select with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft is heating up as the new league year approaches in March.

Presuming the Chicago Bears draft USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick, the Commanders would be left to choose between the near-consensus second- and third-ranked QBs in the draft: North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels.

Pundits arguing for selecting Maye include The Athletic’s Dane Brugler (“He is cut from a similar cloth as Justin Herbert”) and NBC’s Connor Rogers (“There’s not even a conversation for me”), while those pushing for Washington to pick Daniels include CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson (“He reminds me of Lamar Jackson”) and ESPN’s Louis Riddick (“Clearly No. 2“).

Evaluating Drake Maye

In 2022, Maye threw for 4,293 yards and 37 touchdowns with only 7 interceptions in former UNC offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s air raid offense, which drew comparisons to Mike Leach’s pioneering style at Texas Tech in the early 2000s.

That success has led some to believe Maye could flourish under new Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, whose Texas Tech teams ranked in the top 10 in passing yards.

“Conversations within league circles have reiterated that OC Kliff Kingsbury isn’t looking to utilize a QB as a major portion of his run game—thus detaching Washington from Daniels,” The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler wrote on February 18. “Maye is immediately the most talented QB Washington has had since taking Robert Griffin III back in 2012.”

Although his 2023 campaign — under Chip Lindsay, who’d replaced Longo — wasn’t as good as his 2022 season, Maye still tossed 24 touchdowns and threw only 9 interceptions under. He also rushed for 582 yards and nine scores proving he is mobile enough to be considered a threat.

The Case for Jayden Daniels

Daniels seemingly came out of nowhere and took the NCAA by storm, winning the 2022 Heisman Trophy. The dynamic season Daniels had threatened a few records set by former tiger and current Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

After three seasons at Arizona State, Daniels flashed glimpses of what could be in his 2022 campaign at LSU. Those expectations came to fruition and his 2023 season is now being compared to the greatest single seasons in NCAA history.

The 6-foot-4, 211-pound quarterback threw for 3,811 yards with 40 touchdown passes and only 4 interceptions. He also added 1,250 yards on the ground with an additional 10 rushing touchdowns. Behind Daniels, the LSU offense topped 400 yards six times including an SEC record 606 yards against rival Florida. He became the first player in FBS history to top 350 pass yards (372) and 200 rush yards (234) in a single game.

“No player did more for their draft stock in the fall than Jayden Daniels, who went from possible Day 3 pick to first-round prospect,” CBS Sports’ Wilson wrote. “He reminds me of Lamar Jackson, and it’s not crazy to think that, five years from now, we’ll look back and say that Daniels was the best player in this class.”

Whether at the underwear olympics or at his Pro Day on March 27, the electric athlete is projected to put up some eye-popping numbers.

Who Will Washington Select?

After years of neglecting the position, the Washington fan base should be ecstatic with whichever quarterback the teams decides to draft. Daniels can run while also having the ability to become a dangerous pocket passer.

Maye is more prototypical with experience in the offensive system and although not as elusive, he has the ability to run the ball.

The betting favorite to become the newest Comamanders quarterback is Drake Maye. At -160, the she is currently ahead of LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels (+175). USC quarterback Caleb Williams is third on the list at +1000 further strengthening the assumption he ends up in Chicago.