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The Washington Commanders hold the No. 2 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, and most believe they’ll take a quarterback with that selection.
While former Heisman winner Caleb Williams will likely be off the table, a number of notable options will be on the board when the Commanders get on the clock. There’s now a belief that JJ McCarthy will be the name called when that time comes.
“I’ve had conversations here with executives for other teams who know [Washington GM] Adam Peters well, who know the situation well, the most popular answer for what they’re doing at No. 2 is JJ McCarthy,” said NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The belief amongst executives who know #Commanders GM Adam Peters is that the pick will be J.J. McCarthy at #2 overall (@TomPelissero). pic.twitter.com/0icibzRdEG
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) March 25, 2024
That’s a bit of a surprise considering the other players Washington will have to choose from.
Those include reigning Heisman winner Jayden Daniels and ACC Player of the Year Drake Maye. It appears that duo has since been jumped by the Michigan signal caller, who continues to skyrocket up draft boards.
That narrative differs vastly from what the sportsbooks believed heading into Monday. Odds listed McCarthy as a +1000 longshot to land with the Commanders while Maye boasted +150 chances and Daniels was the favorite at -180.
Could Washington surprise with their top pick? It seems possible!
Maybe the Commanders have heard Jim Harbaugh’s JJ McCarthy hype.
The former Wolverine coach has made it his mission to market his college quarterback to NFL organizations.
When talking about McCarthy’s Michigan Pro Day, he called it the best he’s ever seen.
“Not only were his feet great… but then he started throwing, and every throw was right there. It was the best I’ve ever seen. Then I hear coaches and GMs come up to me and say, ‘Great job with JJ.'”
Jim Harbaugh waxing poetic on J.J. McCarthy and his Pro Day. “Literally, it was the best I’ve ever seen.” A certain reporter listened with pride (I’m the reporter). pic.twitter.com/mSQTMvKJYw
— Tracy Sandler (@TracyFGSN) March 25, 2024
Was Adam Peters one of those GMs or is this a smokescreen?
We likely won’t know if conversations with Jim Harbaugh occurred, but we will find out how serious the Commanders are about JJ McCarthy over the next month.