Jayden Daniels has the NFL in the palm of his hand. He's making history for rookie quarterbacks almost every week. The No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft is setting a new standard and has woken a sleeping giant much sooner than expected.
The Washington Commanders are in the best possible hands with Daniels. Nothing phases the Heisman Trophy winner. His poise and composure to come through in the biggest moments defy his fledgling NFL status. When the franchise needed him to come through in pursuit of the postseason, he duly delivered.
Daniels is much more than a feel-good story for a Washington organization starved of legitimate success. He's a franchise player in every sense of the term. The last fortnight only confirmed what fans have known almost from the moment he stepped onto the field.
The former LSU star is also among the NFL's elite. That's a big statement considering it's only his first season in the pros, but the performances speak for themselves. Better yet, Daniels is only going to improve once the Commanders enhance his supporting cast in the coming years.
NFL analyst believes Commanders QB Jayden Daniels is just getting started
Nick Shook from NFL.com recognized that Daniels' legendary status is growing with every passing week. He was ranked No. 6 league-wide in his latest quarterback index, highlighting that the dual-threat weapon is going to be a problem for a long time.
"[Jayden] Daniels' legend continues to grow. Week 17 added another chapter to his tale, as Daniels overcame a bumpy first half to jumpstart Washington's offense with his legs and arm in the final two quarters, leading three scoring drives and then an emphatic final march in overtime that included a walk-off rocket to Zach Ertz for their second touchdown connection of the night. The win over the Falcons sent the Commanders to the playoffs, adding to what has already been a magical turnaround season in the nation's capital. If you don't know by now, Week 17 provided more evidence that Daniels is a star who is going to be around for a long time."Nick Shook, NFL.com
This is exactly what the Commanders had in mind when they took Daniels. They knew what his talent could bring to the franchise. After finding out about his elite-level mentality and fierce inner ambition, their decision became simple.
Making the Pro Bowl as a rookie is no mean feat. Even so, Daniels has bigger plans for himself and the Commanders at the business end of the campaign.
Locking up the sixth seed in Week 18 at the Dallas Cowboys is the first objective. After that, attention quickly turns to ensuring Washington can make an impact in the knockout rounds.
Anything is possible with Daniels under center. The Commanders are never out of a game when he's firing on all cylinders. If the contest is close heading into the fourth quarter, the team finally has a quarterback who can get them over the hump.
Nobody will be relishing the prospect of facing Daniels in the playoffs. That might not be enough to get the Commanders too far looking at some deficiencies elsewhere on the roster, but it gives them a fighting chance.
And after the dazzling displays throughout the regular season, it would take a brave man to bet against Daniels that's for sure.