NFL Mock Draft: Washington Commanders Select Drake Maye as Franchise QB

The Washington Commanders hold the No. 2 overall pick and in a recent mock draft for CBS Sports, the franchise goes in a different direction, taking North Carolina's Drake Maye.

Nov 25, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) / Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Commanders offseason is close to being complete, all that needs to happen now is for the franchise to draft well. After a free agency period that saw an abundance of players be added to the roster, now comes perhaps the most important part - the NFL Draft.

Holding the No. 2 overall pick, a quarterback feels like the logical choice for the Commanders, but who will they select? There have been several mocks that have Washington taking LSU's Jayden Daniels and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy.

While those two players have been gaining traction over the last couple of weeks, in the latest mock draft for CBS Sports, he's going in a different direction and its Maye, not Daniels or McCarthy that comes to the NFC East.

"While I'm taking a different approach to this mock with the QBs, I'm not changing the top two," CBS Sports writes. "The Bears and Commanders will take a QB. The only question is whom the Commanders take, and I'm going with Drake Maye because he's No. 2 on my board."

In Maye, Washington is getting a proper dual-threat quarterback. He threw for 3,608 yards, 24 touchdowns to just nine interceptions last season. He also rushed for 449 yards and nine touchdowns as well.

Nov 25, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) / Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

Washington's offense does have some serious talent. Running backs Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler can take the pressure off Maye, while receivers Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson give him options on the outside. Then there's a quarterback's best friend in tight ends Logan Thomas and Zach Ertz.

So there are weapons for Maye to help ease him into life as an NFL starter. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has history working with quarterbacks of Maye's dual-threat talents with Kyler Murray and Kingsbury joining forces in Arizona for a couple of seasons.

The Commanders are perhaps the most interesting team entering the NFL Draft. Armed with the No. 2 pick, and then two second-round selections, Washington could add some serious talent to complement the business its already done.

But the crown jewel in Washington's offseason is the new quarterback and in Maye, the franchise begins its new era with a young gunslinger leading the charge.