NFL Draft analyst's projection could benefit Commanders on Day 1

If you want to know where the Washington Commanders should go, the state of the team, or any kind of draft and team-building-related information, Daniel Jeremiah is a good place to start.

The NFL Network analyst has been one of the top media sources on the subject matter for years, drawing his knowledge from connections and his own experience inside some of the league's most successful franchises, including the Commanders' geographical neighbor, the Baltimore Ravens.

This year, in NFL.com Eric Edholm's top takeaways from Jeremiah's pre-draft press conference with the media, nothing about Washington was said specifically, but something shared in there could help out general manager Adam Peters in a big way on Thursday night.

Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Speaking about the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants specifically, Jeremiah said, "It's almost a game of chicken, of who's going to pay the biggest price, and how much do they love one of these quarterbacks...And I don't even know that they like the same quarterbacks, so that's kind of an interesting thing."

It is a seemingly benign comment for the most part, but it speaks to the fact that both teams, picking second and third respectively in the first round, are expected to at least consider strongly passing on a quarterback in the first round.

Assuming the Tennessee Titans surprise nobody and take Miami (Fl.) quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick, the assumption is players like Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter and Penn State edge Abdul Carter are likely the next two names called.

That would leave each team eyeing a quarterback with their early second-round picks (Browns have the first and Giants the second in that round), with a team like the Commanders near the back end of the first round potentially waiting to make a deal with whichever team is willing to pay the right price.

The approach taken by Cleveland or New York would mirror that of the aforementioned Ravens, who traded back into the end of the first round in 2018 to take quarterback Lamar Jackson.

It just so happens, this year, there's a quarterback expected to be available getting some Jackson-like comparisons, though not exactly.

Though not a direct comparison, Jeremiah said this about Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, "He is an elite, elite, elite runner...If you just did a cut-up and just with the ball in your arm and running, and you stack him up with a really, really good running back class, just looking (at) him just as a runner, he would not look out of place at all...There is zero question that he's going to have an impact with the ball under his arm."

The question on Milroe, according to Jeremiah, is about his arm.

"In terms of a comparison, the only thing I'd say is, as a runner, he's as impressive as Lamar Jackson was as a runner coming out (of Louisville)," Jeremiah said. "Lamar was light years ahead of him in terms of the passing game."

The analyst says Milroe is going to need to go to a team that can let him sit for a bit and develop before throwing him to the wolves. Having a fifth-year option allows a team to do so, knowing they can still potentially get four good years out of him before having to break the bank.

Of course, Milroe isn't the only quarterback getting some early Day 2 or late Day 1 buzz, and if any of them captures the heart of the Browns or Giants, the Commanders may be willing to take on a profit of draft picks for the right to come up and get them.

In 2018, the Ravens traded two second-round picks and a fourth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for the right to move back into the first round, just for reference. Though they had to do it from futher back in the second round than either team we're discussing today.

Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2025 offseason.

More Washington Commanders News

• Analyst compares Commanders' mock selection to ex-Dan Quinn Cowboys star

• Commanders roasted for $45 million free agent signing

• Commanders' veteran lineman carrying a chip on his shoulder into 2025

• Commanders keeping close eye on star RB prospect