One of the top defenders taken in the draft talks about how special Commanders QB Jayden Daniels really is
The new face of the Washington Commanders franchise, quarterback Jayden Daniels, is a special player. "He's a different type of specimen – I ain't going to lie to you," Turner recently said on the God Bless Football podcast. "He's a quarterback too… imagine having to worry about both. He can dime you up or slice your […]
The new face of the Washington Commanders franchise, quarterback Jayden Daniels, is a special player.
"He's a different type of specimen – I ain't going to lie to you," Turner recently said on the God Bless Football podcast. "He's a quarterback too… imagine having to worry about both. He can dime you up or slice your defense up by running right past you."
Turner experienced Daniels' abilities twice from 2022-2023, one a losing experience and the other a victorious one. It was the former experience, however, that left a lasting mark on the newly-minted first-round pick.
“The first game, when I first played him, I'll never forget how I looked up [and] how sick he had me. He did some read-option and he made me feel, like, he made me feel sorry. He made me feel bad. He didn't even really run past me… he ran around me and still scored. And then it was just like, 'Yea that dude is special.'
“And then just seeing the arm -a lot of people are sleeping on his arm because of how fast and athletic he is- he can give you 350 through the air and 250 on the ground in one game.”
I'm almost positive the play Turner is referring to is Daniels' game-winning touchdown run in overtime back in 2022. It's in the YouTube video below and I did the thing where the video will automatically start at the beginning of Daniels' touchdown run, so all you have to do is click on the link.
Now, like I said, I'm almost positive that is the play Turner's referring to. It's a read option, Daniels makes him miss, and then he proceeds to score. It matches all the key components of Turner's story.
Daniels is a freakish athlete who can make every throw required of elite NFL quarterbacks. He's the only player in NCAA history to throw for more than 12,000 yards and run for more than 3,000 yards and the best part about all of it is he hasn't gotten close to hitting his ceiling, yet.
And what makes that even more exciting is Daniels possesses the work ethic needed to reach said ceiling. Per The Athletic's Dane Brugler, LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly had to give players unlimited access to facilities because Daniels was always there working on his craft.
So, unless something wild happens, expect to see Daniels making the kinds of plays he did against Turner -as well as all the other defenders he bypassed on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy- on Sundays.
