The Washington Commanders have the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and it feels as if quarterback Jayden Daniels from LSU is going to be that selection. In the latest NFL Bleacher Report mock draft, they have Washington taking Daniels with that selection over J.J. McCarthy from Michigan and Drake Maye from North Carolina.
Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy last season at LSU. Daniels, last season, completed 72.2% of his passes for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns, and four interceptions. He also rushed for 1,134 yards on 135 carries and 10 touchdowns, along with averaging 8.4 yards per carry. Jayden Daniels has been climbing up NFL Draft boards since college football season began.
Some of the reasoning that Bleacher Report Scouting Department Gave For Jayden Daniels was as follows:
“The Washington Commanders are going to take a quarterback with the second overall pick. Which one will they take once Caleb Williams is off the board? It may very well be a tossup with LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye both making a strong case to be the choice. In this instance, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner gets the nod to play in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. The Arizona State transfer’s trajectory has continually ascended. As long as Daniels protects himself as a runner—he takes some wicked hits—he has plenty of room to get even better at the professional level.”
It is true that he is going to have to be careful when running with the football at the NFL level. Jayden Daniels could be as electric as quarterback Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens.
The Last Time the Washington Commanders Had the Second Overall Pick, They Took Robert Griffin III and Jayden Daniels is Similar
Washington had the second overall pick during the 2012 NFL Draft. During that draft, they selected quarterback Robert Griffin III from Baylor University. He won the Offensive Rookie of the Year that season, but knee injuries are what cost him throughout his NFL career.
The Commanders hope they don’t make the same mistake with Daniels. Daniels is very talented and can throw it deep down the field. Washington also has a very good receiving core with Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, which will help Jayden Daniels grow into a very good quarterback for the Washington Commanders.
What Washington is hoping for is that he doesn’t end up like Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers a season ago because of his body frame. The Commanders hope he turns out like C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans.