LSU QB Jayden Daniels: Washington Commanders' 'Most Likely' Pick at No. 2?

The Washington Commanders hold the No. 2 selection in the NFL draft, but just who the franchise will select remains one of the biggest mysteries this offseason.

Jan 1, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; LSU Tigers quarterbacks Garrett Nussmeier, left, and Jayden Daniels (5) / Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Commanders draft choice with the No. 2 overall pick is as clear as muddy water right now. With so many options, the Commanders can keep everyone guessing until draft night.

LSU's Jayden Daniels is firming as "the" selection. But North Carolina's Drake Maye and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy also can't be counted out. There is so much unknown about which way the Commanders will go, and with the decision set to have a big impact on the franchise's direction for the next five or so years, it's one they have to get right.

For ESPN's Matt Miller, based on what he is hearing, Daniels seems like the most likely pick for Washington.

"Yeah, it's widely accepted at this point that the Commanders will draft a quarterback at No. 2 -- the question is which one," Miller writes. "When I asked a dozen NFL scouts and executives about the selection, I kept hearing that Daniels is the most likely pick. That intel, of course, is from people outside the Commanders' organization, so take it with a grain of salt, but it sounds like many people around the league believe the reigning Heisman Trophy winner will follow Williams off the board."

Jan 1, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; LSU Tigers quarterbacks Garrett Nussmeier, left, and Jayden Daniels (5) / Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports

Caleb Williams is, for all money, the No. 1 overall pick and will be headed to Chicago unless something otherworldly happens. That leaves the Commanders with their pick of the rest.

After a free agency period that saw the franchise strengthen multiple areas, now comes the draft to bring it all together.

The quarterback selection quite rightly dominates the headlines and given that Washington hasn't had a true franchise quarterback since Robert Griffin III, the pressure to get this pick right is enormous.

But that is what's facing general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn. With Kliff Kingsbury taking over from Eric Bieniemy as the offensive coordinator, the Commanders have everything in place. Now comes perhaps the most important part of their offseason - drafting their quarterback.

While there are rumblings about the Commanders taking someone other than Daniels, he is still the clubhouse leader to land in Washington.