Washington Commanders 'Locked In' on QB Jayden Daniels in NFL Draft?

Rumors are just that until proven, but is one circling the Washington Commanders and quarterback Jayden Daniels more than just speculation?

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) may be the 'locked in' choice of the Washington Commanders in the 2024 NFL Draft. / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA

The battle for which quarterback the Washington Commanders will select in the first round of the NFL Draft will rage on until the pick is announced Thursday night.

Until then, the rumors circling quarterback Jayden Daniels as the preferred candidate of the Commanders will continue to be debunked by naysayers while there appears to be no real traction from insiders or reporters alike that North Carolina's Drake Maye could actually be the pick.

Essentially, outside of the classic, 'nobody knows anything,' excuse there doesn't seem to be any real smoke around Washington targeting Maye at No. 2 over Daniels. Yet, the fact remains that until Daniels is wearing a Commanders hat and holding up a jersey on draft day the outcome could differ from the rumor.

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) may be the 'locked in' choice of the Washington Commanders in the 2024 NFL Draft. / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA

"During the last several weeks, the prevailing belief has been that the Washington Commanders coaching staff is settled on Jayden Daniels as its pick at No. 2 overall," wrote 33rd Team's Ari Meirov as he dove into the rumors and speculation surrounding this year's NFL Draft. "Unlike Chicago, which only brought in (USC quarterback) Caleb Williams for a top-30 visit, Washington has conducted extensive evaluations on all the quarterbacks and has involved various voices in the decision-making process.

"That includes several members of ownership and former NBA executive Bob Myers. The belief remains that Daniels is the most likely choice."

While it just falls short of confirmation the fact that insiders like ESPN's Adam Schefter along with The Athletic's Dane Brugler have begun getting into the conversation about Daniels appears to only boost the prospects that it actually happens.

And there are other signs, like popular Washington punter Tress Way's No. 5 jersey going on sale recently in online merchandise stores. Daniels wore the No. 5 at LSU and also at Arizona State before that as he is a noted fan of former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb who also spent time in the DMV before he retired from the NFL.

Again, none of it points to a sure thing, and the odds makers are doing everything in their power to keep things interesting as well, but if there's one rumor outside of Williams to the Bears that is gaining more and more traction it's that Daniels will be the man leading the Commanders onto the field for the foreseeable future.