The Washington Commanders conducted one of the more unusual methods of the pre-draft process, bringing all of the top quarterback prospects in for a single top-30 visit. It’s a process that involved franchise owner Josh Harris, who is reportedly getting quite involved in the process.
When Harris bought the Commanders from Daniel Snyder for $6.05 billion in the summer of 2023, it was viewed as a massive step forward for the franchise. Not only would Washington be able to put decades of scandal and legal troubles behind them but Snyder’s meddling in football operations would be gone.
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Harris earned positive reviews in his first season as NFL owner and Washington seemed to be on the upswing heading into the offseason. Even after the Ben Johnson fiasco during the Commanders coaching search, the team seemed to be headed in a positive direction.
Holding the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft order, Washington was also well-positioned to land a franchise-caliber quarterback. Even with fan-favorite Caleb Williams off the table, the strength of the 2024 NFL Draft quarterback prospects meant Washington could land a signal-caller with elite physical tools.
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Harris made NFL news in February when he attended the NFL Scouting Combine and took part in private interviews with top quarterbacks. While there were some worries from fans about the team owner meddling in the pre-draft process, it was largely downplayed as just part of the team’s plan.
However, Washington’s decision to bring in Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy and host them all at once seems to be multi-faceted. Not only was it a strategy to see how the players interacted with one another, trying to gauge who is a good leader, but it was also designed to allow for Harris to meet with each of them.
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According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Harris has been “more involved than people expected him to be” with football operations and the pre-draft process this offseason.
As previously reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Harris wanted to be involved in six of the private interviews the Commanders had with the top quarterback prospects. It’s been a part of a more active role than some in the franchise seemingly expected.
While Commanders general manager Adam Peters has been expected to make the final call on which quarterback will be chosen with the second overall pick, it’s also evident that Harris has been heavily involved in the process. Considering owners particularly like having an influence on who is the team’s quarterback, Washington’s decision could be a mutual agreement on Thursday night.
