So, it is indeed, Jayden Daniels, who the Commanders selected with their first selection in the 2024 NFL draft.
What do the Commanders get in selecting Jayden Daniels?
“Washington is going to get everything out of me,” said Daniels on NFL Network, only two minutes after he was drafted.
They receive a very awarded player. Daniels has won the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Player of the Year, Davey O’Brien Award, and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
Daniels was also a finalist for the Maxwell Award, a First-team Associated Press All-American. SEC Offensive Player of the Year and First-team All-SEC.
He was a captain at LSU, and in his last season (2023) Daniels threw 40 passing TDs (4 INTs), for 3,812 passing yards, including an impressive with 72.2 completion percentage. Running the ball Daniels accumulated 1,134 rushing yards (8.4 YPC) with 10 rushing TDs. Only player in FBS history to throw for 12,000 yards and rush for 3,000 yards in a college career.
In fairness, they also get an underweight quarterback who declined to be weighed at the Combine until his camp could put enough weight on him to reach 210 pounds at the LSU Pro Day. Perhaps Daniels will immediately begin a program helping him to gain muscle and good body weight.
The Commanders also receive a quarterback who can really move on his feet. Daniels can extend plays, and can also make huge gains when a lane opens for him.
Perhaps the biggest positive of the night is the reminder that five years ago, the previous owner entered the Redskins draft room and basically discarded all the thousands of hours of scouting and player evaluations by his paid staff so that he, the owner, could select a quarterback because he went to high school with the owner’s son.
It is a new era in Washington. No more Daniel Snyder, no more Bruce Allen. Adam Peters, the new GM, has made his first draft choice for the Commanders. That in itself may be a cause to celebrate.
Tonight was the fourth time Washington selected second in the NFL draft this century: LaVar Arrington (2000), Robert Griffin (2012), and Chase Young (2020).
