4 emerging alphas on the Washington Commanders roster in 2024
By Dean Jones
Jayden Daniels - Commanders QB
Asking a rookie to emerge into an alpha-like presence is challenging. Jayden Daniels is no ordinary rookie.
The Washington Commanders placed a significant amount of faith in Daniels this offseason. His exceptional talent and strong character were enough to convince those in power he was the right quarterback to spearhead this exciting project. The No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft has huge expectations on his young shoulders, but he's off to a promising start.
It's hard to ignore the momentum building around Daniels. He's earned the respect of veteran teammates and coaches by displaying an outstanding work ethic over early workouts. The former LSU star is first into the building every day, mentally and physically preparing for the challenges that lie ahead in pursuit of keeping complications to a minimum.
Daniels has a natural aura that people gravitate towards. He's not a flamboyant signal-caller by any stretch. Instead, the Heisman Trophy winner leads by example and with purposeful actions that don't go unnoticed. It's been a long time since the Commanders had someone like that at football's most critical position.
Daniels hasn't officially been named the Week 1 starter as yet. However, it's a mere formality looking at how things have unfolded during his early transition.
He carries himself like a franchise-caliber presence under center. Daniels takes nothing for granted and knows his vast accomplishments at the collegiate level count for nothing. This is the sort of attitude that can springboard him to superstardom in no time at all.
Excitement couldn't be much higher where Daniels is concerned. His smooth integration has people around the league wondering what the Commanders might be capable of under his guidance. There's also a strong support system in place with accomplished coaches and veteran backup Marcus Mariota to keep everything on an even keel.
The Commanders are on the rise. Just how much will depend on whether Daniels can take the NFL by storm immediately.