The Washington Commanders selected their new franchise quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. With the No. 2 overall pick, they brought in LSU star Jayden Daniels. Dan Quinn and company believe that they have found a long-term player that will end up being an NFL superstar under center.
Daniels won the Heisman Trophy for the 2023 college football season with LSU. He was an electrifying playmaker, both through the air and on the ground.
During the 2023 season, Daniels completed 72.2 percent of his pass attempts for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. He also racked up 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
Despite those jaw-dropping numbers, there are some who don’t think that Daniels will translate well to the NFL. Most Washington Commanders fans aren’t going to like what they hear next.
Sports Illustrated Reveals Brutal Take On Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels
In a recent column, Sports Illustrated took a look at five rookies that are most likely to end up being busts. At No. 2 on the list, they had Daniels. He trailed just Minnesota Vikings first-round pick J.J. McCarthy on the list.
“But Daniels, who has a slim frame at 210 pounds, will need to learn how to avoid hits in the NFL and develop precise timing on when to take off running. For the most part, Jackson has done that in the NFL, but he’s had his fair share of injuries. Also, the Commanders haven’t gotten much right since the 1990s and they don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt just because they have new ownership and decision makers. If Daniels displays durability, we could definitely see the No. 2 pick play up to the Jackson comparisons.”
Basically, Sports Illustrated isn’t sold that Daniels will be able to stay healthy. They also ripped into the Washington Commanders’ franchise as a whole for the rough recent track record they have had.
Despite those concerns, the Washington Commanders should be very confident in their new quarterback. Daniels has showcased impressive arm strength, great accuracy, top-notch leadership, and the ability to make plays with his legs. He isn’t a careless player and he’s extremely coachable.
While the bad taste is still in the Commanders’ fan base about the way things went with Robert Griffin III, Daniels is a completely different player. He’s a menace on the ground, but his arm truly is the most talented aspect of his game. The same cannot be said for even Jackson, although he has improved his arm greatly since he entered the NFL.
All of that being said, it will be interesting to see how the Washington Commanders’ new franchise quarterback responds to the criticism. Will he come out and prove them all wrong as a rookie? We’ll have to wait and see, the Commanders seem to be turning things around lately and this pick looks like a good one.
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