Everyone thought Jayden Daniels had the potential to carve out a successful career for himself. Not many expected the Washington Commanders quarterback to be in the NFL MVP conversation as a rookie.
Daniels has taken the league by storm. He's shown that no moment is too big and the Commanders are never without a chance. The poise, precision, and nerves of steel in critical situations are more in keeping with seasoned veterans rather than first-year pros. Washington is 6-2 with a legitimate chance to make the postseason thanks in no small part to his performance levels.
The Commanders weren't the only team high on Daniels during his pre-draft evaluations. The Las Vegas Raiders reportedly wanted to move up for the Heisman Trophy winner. Another suitor was the New York Giants, who made no secret of their love for the signal-caller during the offseason edition of HBO's Hard Knocks.
Head coach Brian Daboll wanted to trade up for Daniels. General manager Joe Schoen's children also pleaded with their father to make a move despite giving Daniel Jones a lucrative contract extension. Unfortunately for everyone, general manager Adam Peters also saw something special in the former LSU star and wasn't budging from the No. 2 spot.
Brian Daboll praises Jayden Daniels through gritted teeth
Daniels is now going to make life difficult for the Giants and everyone else for the next decade or more. The look on Daboll's face said it all when lavishing praise on the dual-threat weapon before Washington visits MetLife Stadium in Week 9.
"He's one of the better quarterbacks in the league already. He's got great vision. He can throw the ball to any area he needs to throw it. He can throw it under pressure. He can escape, make plays with his feet. He can escape, make plays with his arms. He's got good command, which we knew. We knew he was a smart guy when we spoke with him. He's playing really well, at a high level. You can tell there's a lot of confidence in him. He has a lot of yards per attempt. Makes good decisions. Does a lot of good things."Brian Daboll
Brian Daboll talking about Jayden Daniels with the enthusiasm of someone having tuna fish on wheat toast at lunch for the 8th consecutive day.pic.twitter.com/s58e9TNNqD
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) October 31, 2024
The inner regret was radiating from Daboll. He knows how good Daniels is. He knows how so near yet so far away the Giants were from drafting the Cajon High School product. He knows Jones is not the answer with his starting spot hanging by a thread.
Whether this has a lingering impact on Daboll's head coaching fate beyond the current campaign remains to be seen. The Giants are 2-6 and going nowhere fast. They've already lost once to Daniels and the Commanders this season. Dan Quinn's men and more polished and have more momentum this time around following their sensational opening to the season. It'll take a huge effort from the struggling G-Men to turn the tide.
In truth, the Giants couldn't have gone past Washington even if they wanted to.
Peters and others in positions of power knew this was the franchise quarterback capable of spearheading this storied organization back to prominence. His on-field talent, exceptional work ethic, and natural aura were everything the Commanders were looking for. Daniels has that magic about him that very few possess - something that isn't evident in New York right now.
If Daniels carves up the Giants' defense once again to complete the season sweep for Washington, the turmoil and wondering what might have been will be burning within Daboll. There's no getting away from that.