There were many different people involved. Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters could have asked for advice within his team but chose to consult others when picking the player for the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
According to a report from ESPN’s John Keim, Peters considered input from outside the team, including a rival NFC coach.
The Commanders ended up choosing LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.
“Daniels had supporters outside of Washington as well,” Keim wrote. “Former Arizona State coach Herm Edwards, who recruited Daniels and coached him for three years, told Peters that Daniels ‘was a man; don’t let his youth fool you.; One source said San Francisco receiver Brandon Aiyuk, a close friend of Daniels’, spoke highly of him to Peters. And San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan, with whom Peters worked for seven years, also gave Daniels a glowing review.”
Peters joined the Commanders in Jan. 2024 and had worked for the San Francisco 49ers from 2017 to 2023.
Peters and Shanahan were both part of the team that made some controversial decisions in recent draft history during that time.
49ers Decided Not to Scout Mahomes, Draft Lance
As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take podcast, the 49ers chose not to scout quarterbacks in the 2017 NFL draft because they believed then-Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins would sign with them as a free agent after the season, which he did not.
Among the 2017 quarterbacks was Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes, who the who was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the No. 10 overall pick. Mahomes has since won three Super Bowls, two of which were against the 49ers. The 49ers picked Stanford defensive tackle
Solomon Thomas at No. 3 overall in 2017 and traded for New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The 49ers lost faith in Garoppolo after a 6-10 season in 2020 and traded up in the 2021 NFL Draft by swapping first-round picks with the Miami Dolphins to get the No. 3 pick. In the deal, they also gave up their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, along with a third-round pick. that fall.
With that No. 3 overall pick, the 49ers selected North Dakota State quarterback
, who started four games over the next two seasons before being replaced by seventh-round pick Trey LanceLance was later traded to the Brock Purdy.
Dallas Cowboys before the 2023 season for a fourth-round pick. Will Daniels Be Savior or Another Draft Bust?
Daniels will attempt to improve the Commanders’ track record of unsuccessful quarterback picks in the first round.
In 2012, the Commanders chose Baylor quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III with the No. 2 overall pick. RG3 had a 14-21 record as the starter over four seasons before being released.
In 2019, the Commanders chose Dwayne Haskins as the 15th overall pick. Haskins, who passed away in 2022, had a 3-10 record in two seasons with the Commanders before he was let go.
ESPN’s John Keim said that Washington asked a rival NFC head coach for assistance in deciding on the No. 2 overall pick.