Jayden Daniels is special. If you weren’t a believer before, does the Washington Commanders’ 45-31 upset win over the No. 1 seed Detroit Lions in the NFC Divisional Round playoff make you a believer?
If not, you haven’t been watching the masterful rookie performance of the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner. Commanders’ fans will tell you and gladly let you know, the rookie QB is the real deal, and one could say the top quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. Not only has he led his team from a non-playoff team to a team one game away from a Super Bowl berth, but he is also showing the NFL world, he is one of the top QBs in the entire league.
After winning his first playoff game, Daniels lit it up in the NFC Divisional Round Playoff with 299 yards passing and 2 touchdowns. He wasn’t fazed by the big stage, in fact, he excelled. In doing so, he has shown he was worth the hype entering a season in which he did have some Lamar Jackson comparisons (which he didn't like).
Jayden Daniels more than lived up to the hype
Daniels more than lived up to the hype in his rookie season. As it turned out, the offensive playbook of Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury was the right and perfect fit for Daniels to excel. He did in 2024 and did end up having a better rookie season than Robert Griffin III as NFL Mocks made this bold prediction prior to the season:
“Due to Chicago Bears rookie QB Caleb Williams being the No. 1 overall pick, the spotlight won’t be on Daniels to start the season, but he will have surpassed RGIII in passing yards with over 3500 in his rookie season as he’ll form quick chemistry with both [Terry] McLaurin and [Jahan] Dotson. The passing yards will be solid, but it is the touchdown numbers that are the bold prediction here. Daniels will pass for 18-20 TDs in Year 1 while rushing for another 5 touchdowns which will really draw the comparisons to Lamar Jackson.”
Daniels passed for 3,568 yards with 25 passing touchdowns, so Daniels did exceed that position, he also had 6 rushing touchdowns in demonstrating his dual threat ability in the NFL. Along with exceeding RGIII with a stellar rookie performance, the next step for the outstanding rookie quarterback is to continue to show composure and make plays with both his arm and legs.
More on the rookie season of Jayden Daniels:
Something else Mocks got right was the chemistry formed with McLaurin as the veteran receiver ended up with another 1,000-yard season as Daniels’ primary target. What Mocks got wrong was Dotson who was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles prior to the season. Daniels, however, gained that chemistry with wide receiver Dyami Brown.
The next question in regards to the leading NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is can he catapult the Commanders into the Super Bowl?
That would be quite the feat for a rookie quarterback. Imagine the Super Bowl hype if it does end up being Daniels vs Jackson. An NFL storyline can’t end any better than that. It would almost be as precise as our bold prediction for the season.