Jayden Daniels gives the Commanders franchise an immediate spark at the NFL's most important position
It's official: The Washington Commanders drafted Heisman Trophy winner, Jayden Daniels, with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The idea of the Commanders taking a QB at No. 2 shouldn't come as a surprise, whatsoever. This move has been the presumed decision pretty much ever since the 2023 season ended – it […]
It's official: The Washington Commanders drafted Heisman Trophy winner, Jayden Daniels, with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The idea of the Commanders taking a QB at No. 2 shouldn't come as a surprise, whatsoever. This move has been the presumed decision pretty much ever since the 2023 season ended – it was just a simple matter of who the Commanders take with their first pick.
The other popular option was former North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback, Drake Maye, who is a very promising prospect, himself. However, the difference between the two is Daniels has a better chance to provide an immediate spark for the Commanders, whereas, Maye is more likely to sit a year before he's ready to step on the field as a starter.
And there's nothing wrong with that. As we saw with Jordan Love last year, taking the time to properly develop a young quarterback can pay off in a big way.
But right now, it's fair to argue Daniels is further ahead in his development than Maye. He see the field better and isn't as reckless with his throws. Daniels also has four years of starting experience (2020 was cut short due to COVID) under his belt – Maye has two.
Daniels is the more explosive athlete, as well. He's the only player in college history to throw for more than 12,000 yards and run for more than 3,000 yards. He can complete throws at all levels on the field, but his deep ball is an elite skill that not many quarterbacks possess.
Per Pro Football Focus, Daniels led all quarterbacks with a 69.3% completion rate on passes of 20+ air yards in 2023, which was over 14% better than second-place Jalen Milroe. He also led the same 40 quarterbacks with at least 54 passing attempts in yards per attempt on deep balls (24.5), big-time throw rate (45.0%), and adjusted completion percentage (69.1%).
The biggest key with Daniels, however, is his work ethic. Per The Athletic's Dane Brugler, LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly had to give players unlimited access to the building because Daniels was always there working on his craft. That growth was on full display in 2023 and it led to a Heisman Trophy. Just imagine what that kind of work ethic can do for his game in the NFL.
Overall, Daniels is a smooth point guard from the pocket when his eyes stay on schedule, and his dazzling run skills make him a problem for defenses. This isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison, but NFL scouts say he forces opponents to defend him like Lamar Jackson. – Dane Brugler, The Athletic
Daniels' skill set, along with a decent set of playmakers on offense, can certainly help the franchise hit the ground running as it enters a brand new era in 2024.
