The Washington Commanders own the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. It’s expected that Washington will select a quarterback among Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels. With Williams widely expected to go No. 1 to the Bears, it likely means Maye or Daniels for the Commanders.
Maye coming to Washington would be interesting. Much like he followed Sam Howell at North Carolina, he would join him in the NFL, too. Howell was in the final season of his record-setting career at North Carolina in 2021 when Maye was his freshman backup.
Could Maye and Howell on the same roster be a problem? Not a chance. In one of his press conferences last season, Howell spoke of his friendship with Maye, saying the two talk almost daily. A few weeks ago, both were in Chapel Hill for a college basketball game between the Tar Heels and their bitter rival, Duke.
The NFL combine is this week, which means Maye will be busy. But before he left for Indianapolis, he joined Adam Schefter on the “Adam Schefter Podcast,” where he discussed his friendship with Howell, reuniting with him in Washington and Joe Gibbs.
Schefter asked Maye about some of the teams with the top picks, including Chicago and Washington.
Here’s what Maye said about Washington.
“Washington, back when they were the Redskins, I grew up around the area; Lake Norman is where Coach Gibbs resided back with his grandkids,” Maye said. “Grew up with his grandkids, so I got to know them and follow the Redskins during that time. Also, another historic program, you know, with Coach Gibbs back in the day. Had great success.”
Did Maye actually meet Gibbs?
“No doubt, Yes, I know him well,” Maye said. “His grandkids, I’ve played football with growing up. His grandson, Miller Gibbs, played at high school with me and played at Appalachian State…………. Coach Gibbs was the coach on the other side against my dad, a funny story.”
Maye praises Washington and the fans.
Then, Schefter asks Maye about Howell.
“One of my best friends,” Maye said of Howell. “Sam has had a big impact on me learning going in there; my freshman year at North Carolina, being his last year, had such great success, seeing how he prepared and how seriously he took it.”
Maye praised Howell for several things, one of which was seeing how Howell focused on only one sport once he got to college. Both Howell and Maye were multi-sport stars in high school.
“I still keep in touch with him and see him almost; he was just in Chapel Hill the other weekend for the Duke game; we were up there together and playing golf. Big fan of Sam, we keep in touch almost daily,” Maye said.
What about the prospect of reuniting in the NFL?
“It’s one of those things where it’s not ideal, but at the same time, it’s part of a business,” he said. “We’ve done it in college together; the best thing about it is we’ll help each other, and whether the scenario goes, he’s one of my best friends; gonna be no hard feelings, it’s part of it. Being in there as two NFL quarterbacks, be in the same room…..there’s a lot bigger problems in the world than that.”
Before anyone thinks there was anything negative here. Relax. Howell and Maye are close. And while they would love to reunite, both want the other to be a starting quarterback so they can compete against one another. That can’t happen on the same team. As Maye noted, when they were in college together, they always talked about competing and having a shootout against one another in the NFL.
Here’s the clip on Maye talking about Howell.
North Carolina QB @DrakeMaye2 is close with his former college teammate Sam Howell, knows Joe Gibbs, and shares what it would be like to land in Washington, as well as Chicago and New England.
https://t.co/qhzWPr4Vw4 pic.twitter.com/rVtbJcTJ0n
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 26, 2024
A good interview here with Schefter and Maye.
A Joe Gibbs connection should endear Maye to longtime Washington fans.
Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels will not throw at the combine. Maye hasn’t yet publicly stated if he would throw or not in Indianapolis.