In the months leading up to the 2024 NFL draft, there was a lot of debate on which quarterback the Washington Commanders would select at No. 2 overall. Would it be Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels?
Opinions were split early between the two quarterbacks; however, Daniels was always the favorite. Several analysts believed the Commanders would pick Daniels because of his potential fit in offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. Daniels possesses elite running ability and enters college a more high-level passer than Kingsbury’s last quarterback, Kyler Murray.
Washington chose Daniels, and general manager Adam Peters said the team knew it would be Daniels for a while.
So, how does Daniels fit Kingsbury’s offense?
ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid recently examined the fit of all 2024 rookie quarterbacks with their new teams, and here’s what he said about Daniels and the Commanders:
Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is now calling plays under coach Dan Quinn, and Daniels has a similar skill set to the QBs with whom he has had success in the past. Expect this Washington offense to resemble what Kingsbury ran in Arizona with Kyler Murray — and that should suit Daniels well. The rookie can get the ball to all areas of the field, and the passing game should feature plenty of formations that involve three or four wide receivers designed to attack down the field. With Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson on the perimeter, Daniels already has two dependable pass-catchers at his disposal. But designed QB runs will also be an underrated element of this scheme. Daniels ran for 1,134 yards last season, and he can bring that added dynamic to the offense.
Kingsbury has coached other dual-threat quarterbacks, too. He’s also had success with pocket quarterbacks. The Commanders believe Kingsbury will get the most out of Daniels and spent the offseason building an offense around his unique dual-threat ability.
In addition to McLaurin and Dotson at wideout, Washington beefed up the interior of the offensive line, signing center Tyler Biadasz and guard Nick Allegretti. The Commanders’ interior offensive line should be significantly improved in 2024. Washington has plans to run the ball, using a lot of 12 personnel. The Commanders signed veteran tight end Zach Ertz and spent a second-round pick on Ben Sinnott.
Additionally, Peters drafted wide receiver Luke McCaffrey in the third round, giving Daniels even more offensive weapons.
There’s a belief that Daniels will have success early in his NFL career. Outside of not doing enough at offensive tackle, the Commanders did an outstanding job of building an infrastructure around Daniels with personnel and the coaching staff.
