NFL Draft: Commanders 'Best Fit' for Stanford Quarterback Tanner McKee?

With a coaching connection inside the Washington Commanders organization, it makes sense that this could be the perfect spot for the rookie to land.

The Washington Commanders have spent all offseason talking about Sam Howell getting the opportunity to be the starting quarterback. 

And thus far we've seen the Commanders stand by that claim with zero effort to acquire veteran Derek Carr who ended up with the New Orleans Saints, and reports the team will not pursue Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. 

Still, Washington has to add to its quarterback room somewhere and says it wants to have competition for Howell to earn the position rather than simply hand it over. 

Could that competition be an inbound draft pick in April? If so, then Stanford Cardinal quarterback Tanner McKee would be the one that could benefit most from joining the Commanders according to Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema. 

"If McKee is going to have a chance to contribute anywhere, it feels like Washington is the place," says Sikkema. "He could enter the offseason in a quarterback battle with the team's 2022 rookie signal-caller, Sam Howell."

The match between McKee and Washington works on the level that Sikkema addresses here, but going one step further he might actually have an advantage over Howell.

That's because McKee's quarterbacks coach at Stanford, Tavita Pritchard, is now with the Commanders in the same position. 

Schematically, the offense and at least most of the language will come from offensive coordinator and assistant head coach Eric Bieniemy, but having the connection and relatability to the position coach teaching it is a surefire advantage any rookie would love to have. 

While the match might be perfect for McKee, the valuation on where Washington would have to spend a draft pick to get him is a little scattered. 

While PFF has him ranked as its 32nd-ranked player on their big board, NFL.com's Lance Zierlein has him graded as an average backup and Sports Illustrated has him projected in the second round.

Find David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82 and on the Locked On Commanders podcast.

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