Commanders news: Jayden Daniels, Bobby Wagner, Jonathan Allen and Dan Quinn

Jayden Daniels' latest plaudits

Jayden Daniels has made the best possible transition to the Washington Commanders. The No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft is working exceptionally hard to grasp the playbook and ensure he's in the best physical condition to cope with the challenges that lie ahead. It's relatively early in the process, but the quarterback's receiving constant rave reviews from coaches and teammates alike.

There's a growing sense that the Commanders have something special with Daniels. He needs to prove himself in a competitive setting and there will be times of struggle during his rookie campaign. However, this looks like a tremendous environment for the signal-caller in pursuit of taking the NFL by storm in the coming years.

Marcus Mariota will be another key support system for Daniels. The veteran free-agent signing was brought in as a dependable backup and mentor to the Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU. He's also been highly impressed by the way the first-round pick has conducted himself with the spotlight glaring.

"I think he looks good. He really moves well, he throws the ball well, and for a young guy that's coming in he seems to really command the offense and I think that's important. That's very important at the quarterback position to be able to stand in front of these guys - especially older players - and kinda nail it and say 'I got this, I've got it figured out'. So I think he's done a great job of that and we've just gotta help him continue to grow and develop. I think at the end of the day when we're all competing in that room, it makes all of us better."

- Marcus Mariota

Mariota's been around long enough to know that he might not play much - if at all - during the upcoming season. That said, he'll be critical to Daniels' development having been a No. 2 pick himself who's gone through plenty of ups and downs throughout his playing career.

The Commanders thought Mariota would be better suited to this task than someone younger like Sam Howell. Looking at how this dynamic is coming together over OTAs, it's so far, so good.