2024 NFL Draft: Commanders reportedly hosting four top QB prospects at same time
A handful of the top quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft are set to gather just outside the nation's capital in an unusual meeting.
The Washington Commanders are hosting North Carolina's Drake Maye, LSU's Jayden Daniels, Michigan's J.J. McCarthy and Washington's Michael Penix Jr. at the same time as part of their top 30 visits on Tuesday and Wednesday, Sports Illustrated reported. So far, each player has met with teams individually when they've made their top 30 visits.
While the decision to bring four of the top quarterback prospects at the same time is uncommon, the practice isn't unprecedented.
The San Francisco 49ers, where new Commanders general manager Adam Peters previously worked, would host groups of top prospects together to see how they interact with each other, according to Sports Illustrated. Washington will reportedly bring in 20 prospects to its facilities in Ashburn, Virginia, on Wednesday.
The visits all come just over a week before Day 1 of the draft, where the Commanders hold the second overall pick. The Chicago Bears are expected to make Caleb Williams the No. 1 overall pick.
Beyond that, the rest of the draft remains uncertain. Washington has mostly been linked to Maye and Daniels in recent weeks, with the latter seeming to pick up steam as its pick. FOX Sports' Joel Klatt had the Commanders taking Maye in his latest mock draft, but more recently stated that he thinks it's "likely" Daniels goes No. 2. FOX Sports NFL Draft expert Rob Rang had the Commanders taking Maye with his most recent mock draft.
Even though the debate seems to mostly be centered around Maye and Daniels, McCarthy and Penix might be picking up momentum as early first-round picks as well. McCarthy has been a top-five pick in the majority of mock drafts as of late, while Penix is "likely" to be selected in the top half of the first round, NFL Media recently reported.
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Still, Maye and Daniels are viewed ahead of McCarthy and Penix on most prospect boards. Rang ranked Maye as his sixth-overall prospect and Daniels as his eighth-overall prospect in his latest top 100 ranking. McCarthy was ranked 23rd and Penix was ranked 25th.
Daniels is the odds-on favorite to be the No. 2 overall pick, with the Commanders holding -275 odds to draft the LSU product. Here are the latest odds on which player will be taken with the No. 2 overall pick, via DraftKings Sportsbook.
ODDS TO BE THE NO. 2 OVERALL PICK
Jayden Daniels: -275 (bet $10 to win $13.64 total)
Drake Maye: +215 (bet $10 to win $31.50 total)
J.J. McCarthy: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Caleb Williams: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
Marvin Harrison Jr.: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Michael Penix Jr.: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
*Odds as of April 16