Jayden Daniels Would be the FUN Pick at Number Two, But Would He be the BEST Pick?

I’ve really warmed up to Jayden Daniels as the second overall pick for Washington in the 2024 NFL Draft. It’s not that I was really ever down on him, rather I had some questions that needed to be answered before I was fully bought in.

Now, with just two weeks until “decision day”, I am really sitting on the fence for the first time in as long as I can remember when it comes to which quarterback I prefer.

Some notable first round draft pick discussions:

Trent Williams vs. Russell Okung – I wanted Williams

Laquan Treadwell vs. Josh Doctson – I wanted Treadwell

Derwin James vs. Daron Payne – I wanted James

Emmanuel Forbes vs. Christian Gonzales – I wanted Gonzales

You can probably add more names to this list, but these were a few that stuck out to me.

2024 NFL Draft

This draft is rather unique for a few different reasons. First, we have the second overall pick in a class where there are four really good quarterbacks – and we all know Washington DESPERATELY needs a quarterback. Being Washington hasn’t had a franchise quarterback here in decades, this makes the pick even that much more paramount. There is no need to trade up and mortgage future assets for the most important position on a football team. Second, we are out from under the dictatorship and dysfunction that was Dan Snyder. The Harris group has come in and done a complete 180. We have new coaches who want to put their personal stamp on the team. Finally, we have a true general manager running the draft. No more of the “coach-centric” model that set us back years under Ron Rivera.

Here are the consensus top four quarterbacks who are in this class:

• Caleb Williams – 6’1” 214 USC
• Jayden Daniels – 6’4” 210 LSU
• Drake Maye – 6’4” ¹⁄₂ 227 UNC
• J.J. McCarthy – 6’2” ¹⁄₂ 219 Michigan

It’s widely believed that Caleb Williams will be taken number one overall by the Chicago Bears. That leaves Washington to choose from the remaining three – all who bring a different skillset to the table.

*From NFL.com Lance Zierlein

Jayden Daniels

With five seasons of starting experience under his belt, Daniels possesses a rare blend of playmaking talent and command from the pocket. He’s tall but slender, so there will be concerns about durability, considering how often he ran in college. However, teams must also recognize that he has no issues sitting in the pocket and working through progressions as a platform thrower with good mechanics and footwork. Daniels possesses the football intelligence to get himself protected and take care of the football with quality decision-making. He’s an accurate passer over the first two levels and throws with anticipation to slice and dice zone coverages. He had noticeable issues putting deep throws on faster receivers in stride, though. He lacks ideal size and arm talent, but he’s much more capable as a runner and passer than most of the quarterbacks who have moved on to the next level lately. Daniels is positioned to become a very good NFL starter in a spread-based passing attack.

Drake Maye

Challenging evaluation with top-flight measurables and tools but inconsistencies that create a lower floor. Maye’s size and arm talent jump off the tape immediately. He can make every throw, but he will try to make throws that he shouldn’t have attempted. The gunslinger mentality creates a fearlessness that can turn into interceptions, but it will also allow him to win in tight windows and make splash throws that get crowds (and evaluators) on their feet. He leaves too many throws on the back shoulder or hip and needs to learn when to take some sauce off the throw to make it more catchable. There is an undeniable energy to Maye’s game that can create momentum or turn chaotic when plays come off-schedule for him. The combination of traits and tape make him a boom/bust prospect who might need patient management and coaching to help shepherd him toward his potential.

J.J. McCarthy

Enigmatic quarterback lacking the measurables and splash throws associated with early round quarterbacks but possessing elements that require more study and consideration. McCarthy lacks frame thickness and a plus arm. He’s fairly poised in the pocket but is average as a pocket passer. His ball placement and timing need to improve to help mitigate an average operation time due to a windup release. McCarthy doesn’t seek to play out of structure but is fairly consistent at making positive plays when it happens and ramps up his focus late in games and on third downs. He is confident and seems to have the ability to take slights and digest it as competitive fuel. McCarthy should continue to improve as a passer, but he fails to stand out in many of the areas that tend to be predictive of top-level success in the NFL.

All the recent smoke has been around Jayden Daniels to the Commanders…and for good reason. The 23-year-old 2023 Heisman Trophy winner saw a meteoric rise to stardom during his break-out super-senior season at LSU. In 12 games, Daniels threw for 3812 yards and 40 touchdowns against just four interceptions while completing 72% of his passes. He had 1134 rushing yards and an additional 10 touchdowns.

Jayden did not run the 40 yard dash at the combine or his Pro Day, but when asked who would win a race between him and his two top receivers – Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., he replied “I would”.

Just a few days ago, this tweet came out…

Let’s face it – Jayden Daniels would bring a level of excitement to Washington that we haven’t see here since RGIII’s rookie year. After spending hours watching and re-watching his film from last season, and viewing his recent Pro Day, I believe he has the arm strength to make all the throws needed. Now, he’s not going to wow you like Drake Maye with his arm, but it’s plenty good enough to get the job done. He’s a “layer thrower” much like Joe Burrow is, and I think Kliff Kingsbury would adapt his offense to fit what Jayden is good at in the passing game.

Now let’s talk about his mobility…

Much like Justin Fields, Daniels has the ability to make defenses pay with his legs when he takes off. Where Fields is built more like a running back, Daniels is not, however he seems to have a unique ability to stay relatively healthy despite taking some big hits in college like the ones you see below.

WOW, that speed…

Just imagine being a defensive coordinator and having to game-plan against this type of quarterback. It’s what gives guys stomach ulcers.

But is Jayden Daniels the BEST pick?

There is no doubting the level of excitement a guy like Jayden Daniels could bring to Washington’s new offense. But is he the best pick for the long-term future at the position?

Many analysts say Daniels has a higher floor than Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy, but the latter (especially Maye) have the higher ceiling. While it took Daniels five years to put up the season we saw last year, Maye had 4321 yards with 38 touchdowns versus seven interceptions as a redshirt freshman at UNC (his first season as a collegiate starter). And while he didn’t hit 1000 rushing yards like Daniels did, he accounted for nearly 700 on the ground with seven touchdowns that year.

Both Maye and McCarthy have big arms, and both have shown the ability to fit the ball into tight windows in the middle of the field. In the NFL, where being considered open may be less than a yard of separation, that is an important skill to have.

Finally, the accomplishments Daniels had in 2023, while absolutely phenomenal, were done behind one of the best offensive lines in the country, and while throwing to the best collective weapons on the outside in all of college football. In Maye’s case, he did more with less than any quarterback in the 2024 draft class. McCarthy had a bit better supporting cast, including a devastating running game, two very good tight ends, and the Nations’ best defense, but his receivers were nothing like Nabors and Thomas Jr. In the NFL, quarterbacks are often asked to carry their teams, and with Jayden, I’m not quite sure what we’d get in that regard. Would he preform at a high level without having elite skill positions scattered all over the offense?

What I have gleaned about Daniels that makes me feel more confident is that he’s an extremely hard worker who is all about the team and winning. Over the offseason at LSU, he was described by coaches and teammates as being the first guy in the building in the mornings and he even took to virtual reality training to help elevate his game to another level.

To me, and I assume to both coaches and front office staff, this is very important.

Jayden Daniels would certainly be a fun guy to watch compete in a Washington uniform for the foreseeable future, but is this one-year-wonder, who plays with a bit of reckless-abandon, the best for the long-term success at the position?

The last 15 Super Bowls have been won by quarterbacks who were considered pocket passers. Only two “dual-threat” quarterbacks have made the Super Bowl in the last 15 years (Jalen Hurts and Cam Newton) and both fell short in the big game.

Can Daniels buck that trend, stay healthy, and become the first “dual-threat” quarterback to win a championship, or are we all just looking at Fool’s Gold yet again?