2024 NFL Draft: Commanders GM Adam Peters gives clarity on day gameplan for no. 2 pick
The Washington Commanders have the second overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, but they still have some second-guessing about what they want to do with it.
Speculation is that one of UNC's Drake Maye and LSU's Jayden Daniels will be the players selected, but general manager Adam Peters downplayed it in a press conference on Thursday, a week before the draft. He said:
“We’re real close. There’s still a few more things in the process that we have to do... There’s no rush with that, but I think we will have a pretty good idea what we are doing early next week.”
However, if there's one thing that's certain to happen, it's keeping the pick:
“We feel great about staying at number two. I don’t see a whole lot of scenarios where we trade down.”
Commanders plan to maximize wealth of top-100 picks, says GM Adam Peters
Number 2 is not the only top pick at the Commanders' disposal. They also have five more picks in the top 100: two in the second round (36 and 40) and three in the third (67, 78, and 100).
Peters wants to ensure that the talents whom he believes will provide the most benefit will go with them. In the same presser, he said:
"I think with the optionality we have in all those picks, anything is in consideration. Like we've said before, we're gonna do whatsever best for this organization, so if that's moving up, if that's moving back, we'll do that. Lucky for us, we have the ability to do so with all the ammo we have."
Meanwhile, Yardbreaker's Colum Dell has identified three players whom Landover could take after the first round.
The first is Western Michigan defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, who could provide depth to a front-seven that includes Pro Bowlers Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and Bobby Wagner.
Next is Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders. One-time Super Bowl champion Zach Ertz joined last month to provide experience to a corps that has been deeply affected by the release of fellow veteran Logan Thomas, but adding another youngster with starter potential may help.
The last player Dell mentions is Boston College cornerback Elijah Jones. The Commanders were tied with the Carolina Panthers for second-to-last in interceptions last season, with only eight.
More damningly, 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes had to be removed from the starting lineup after struggling against AJ Brown and DJ Moore in consecutive games. So another aggressive ballhawk like Jones is a priority for the team.