NFL Mock Draft: Washington Commanders Find 'Centerpiece' of Rebuild

The Washington Commanders have had a solid offseason thus far, and now comes the final piece of their puzzle...selecting a quarterback.

Nov 18, 2023; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Heisman Trophy candidate LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden / Matthew Dobbins-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Commanders knew that they had a big offseason ahead of them. Armed with huge salary cap space and a draft haul that includes six picks in the top 100, it was shaping up as a defining one for Washington.

No less than 12 players arrived in free agency as general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn set about getting the right players in the right positions. Headline by Bobby Wagner, Austin Ekeler, Nick Allegretti, and Frankie Luvu, the Commanders can be happy with their work thus far.

But now comes perhaps the most important part of their offseason. Having the coveted No. 2 overall pick, just which quarterback the Commanders take is the subject of much debate.

But in CBS Sports' latest mock draft, it is LSU's Jayden Daniels that is tasked with leading the franchise into this exciting new era.

"The Commanders have their pick of the best remaining quarterback on the board, and they'll go with Daniels over Drake Maye," CBS Sports writes. "A play extender (and the only FBS quarterback to throw for 12,000 yards and rush for 3,000 in a career), Daniels will give NFC East defenses problems from Day 1. The centerpiece for Washington's rebuild."

Daniels has been firming as the Commanders choice over the last couple of weeks, despite Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy's stocks rising.

Nov 18, 2023; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Heisman Trophy candidate LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden / Matthew Dobbins-USA TODAY Sports

The prospect of Daniels in Kliff Kingsbury's system is one that no doubt appeals to Washington due to the weapons that the franchise has surrounded him with. Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Logan Thomas, Zach Ertz, Brian Robinson Jr. and Ekeler loom as the key offensive pieces in 2024.

In Daniels, the Commanders get a proper dual-threat quarterback who can make any throw on the field and if a play breaks down, get gash a defense for big gains. ESPN's Bill Barnwell likes the idea of Daniels in Washington and urged the franchise to utilize his talents in the RPO game. FS1's Colin Cowherd also thinks that the Commanders are the best fit for Daniels.

Of course, these are opinions from those outside of the building, but Daniels in Washington "seems" like the right fit.

The Commanders hold the most prized pick in the upcoming draft, and in Daniels, get the young star quarterback to be the face of their franchise as they look to build on what has been a solid offseason's work thus far.