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News | Washington Commanders - Commanders.com

Pro Day Watch | Commanders in attendance for Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye

North Carolina's Drake Maye participates in North Carolina's NFL Pro Day in Chapel Hill, N.C., Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
North Carolina's Drake Maye participates in North Carolina's NFL Pro Day in Chapel Hill, N.C., Thursday, March 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)

The opinions expressed in this article do not represent those of the team unless specified by a direct quote.

We're getting closer to the NFL Draft starting in Detroit on April 25, and while the scouting combine has come and gone, prospects aren't done trying to convince teams to draft them.

Colleges across the country will host Pro Days for prospects to work out in front of scouts, coaches and general managers from NFL teams. Some will do more on-field work than others, but it's a chance for them to either raise or cement their draft stock after their performances in Indianapolis. For those who weren't invited to the combine, it's an opportunity for them to get noticed by scouts in a final effort to join a team this summer.

Several of the top quarterback prospects were showing off their skill sets this week, so let's not waste any more time and get right into the highlights.

-- We'll start off with LSU's Jayden Daniels, who back up his status as one of the top three prospects at his position with a few deep shots to fellow first-round prospect Malik Nabers. Daniels is known for his mobility, but most of the day was spent providing examples of his poise, touch and arm strength. One pass saw Daniels launch the ball about 60 yards to his receiver, who made the grab with ease.

Daniels has become a popular pick for Washington over the last few weeks with several analysts mocking him to go No. 2 overall. Some people, like ESPN's Louis Riddick, think Washington would be getting the best quarterback on the board.

"I thought that this guy should be QB No. 1," Riddick said on "Get Up." "After looking at him in person, there is no doubt in my mind."

-- UNC's Drake Maye is another player analyst connect to Washington, and just as they were with Daniels, Dan Quinn, Adam Peters, Kliff Kingsbury and Lance Newmark attended the Tar Heels' Pro Day. While Maye does possess some athleticism, his style is completely different from that of Daniels. He has a bigger build, is more comfortable throwing to the middle of the field and has a stronger arm.

Maye was slinging the ball all over the field in front of scouts, but there were a few throws that truly showed off his talent. On one play, Maye dropped back, rolled to his right and launched the ball from the opposing 40 to the 5-yard line.

Maye sound confident about what he can do at the next level, too.

"My arm -- knock on wood -- I can throw for days and throw it deep as many as you want."

-- Two more quarterbacks -- Tennessee's Joe Milton and Washington Michael Penix Jr. -- also threw in front of scouts on March 27. Milton is considered a Day 2 pick but has the strongest arm in this year's class, which could entice a team to draft him as a project. As for why a team would be so interested him, Milton leaned in his best traits by sending passes soaring downfield.

There are some who believe that Penix may have locked himself in as a first-round pick after an impressive Pro Day, according to Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz. The biggest surprise was his 4.5 40-yard dash, but he also had a 36.5-inch vertical and then followed it up with a mostly clean throwing period.

-- Let's get to some non-quarterback updates. N.C. State linebacker Payton Wilson is regarded as one of the best linebackers in the draft, but he decided to go through the drills anyway. The reasoning behind it, he said, was to show his love of the game.

"I love football," Wilson said. "The position drills are a lot different than running a 40, jumping a vert. I think I move really well, I feel like I'm one of the better linebackers around the country in movement, so any time anybody wants to do that, I'm all up for it. I'll go until they want to stop."

-- We'll wrap things up with Howard's Pro Day. Offensive tackle Anim Dankwah is not considered one of the top prospects in the draft. He's probably a Day 3 prospect at best, but at 6-foot-8 and 362 pounds, he could be a long-term project for a team willing to put in the time to develop him. He does have tools, like his quickness and strength, that hint at a possible future in the NFL. However, he'll need time to hone some of the other skills necessary to play at the professional level.

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