Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has everyone’s attention this offseason.
Pro Football Focus college football analyst Max Chadwick was a guest on the “Al Galdi Podcast” this week. Chadwick made several comments that raised eyebrows. Here are selected quotes regarding Daniels.
“He loves to target outside the numbers. I think he has the arm strength to deliver the ball down the field with a lot of touch and arc. It’s just the velocity when he has to rifle one. He doesn’t really have as good an arm as some other quarterbacks.”
“Just because we have not seen him target too much over the field in the intermediate area, so I think the sideline throws (where he really made his money at LSU last year) that is probably going to be an important part of him. I am sure Kliff Kingsbury is going to be incorporating as much of that into the offense as is possible.”
“When everyone talks about how he (Daniels) can’t throw over the middle of the field, I don’t know if it is that he can’t. I don’t think he was asked to do that. Maybe he can’t, and that is why he was not asked to do it. But we don’t know.”
“He is probably the best rushing quarterback we have seen come into the NFL since Lamar Jackson. Yes, I think on day one, he will be one of the top rushing threats in the NFL.”
“A big reason he doesn’t slide is because he knows he can outrun basically anyone. A lot of quarterbacks can’t say that. Jayden Daniels doesn’t know that he will be caught…there is a lot of RG3 in his game…”
“I think Jayden Daniels if he does struggle as a passer, at least you have the added floor of him being a great runner, and that way, he can keep defenses honest.”
“He went from being a really conservative quarterback at LSU to being a flame thrower this past year. That’s the thing I would point to. This guy has gotten better every single year of his career.”
“He clearly wants to get better, and he has. Whereas some guys stagnate in college, stay the same, and think this is good enough.”
“Yes, I think it’s definitely a concern (pressure to sack rate). I think it is something they need to keep an eye on. He played behind a really good line at LSU, too…”