Former All-Pro lauds Commanders QB Jayden Daniels' exceptional promise

Jayden Daniels carries himself like an NFL franchise quarterback. This is exactly what the Washington Commanders expect after becoming enamored with his skills and off-field approach during their pre-draft assessments.

It's only early in the process, but Daniels is fitting in well. He's displayed the traits associated with the player's production in college over early workouts. These center on smooth mechanics, accuracy at all three levels of the field, and getting the football out of his hands in double-quick time.

Perhaps more importantly, Daniels won the respect of veteran teammates. The likes of Bobby Wagner and Jonathan Allen highlighted how the rookie's work ethic hasn't gone unnoticed. When players see the man tasked with spearheading football's most important position putting in the hard yards, they feel almost obligated to follow.

It's not just those in the building giving Daniels their seal of approval.

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels gets high praise from Patrick Peterson

When asked about the Heisman Trophy winner's promise, former All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson had high praise based on comments via USA Today Sports. He feels like the Commanders are in great hands with the dual-threat weapon, adding that he thought this was the best quarterback emerging from the college ranks in 2024.

"For the most part, his career at LSU was just unbelievable. What he was able to do last year and the steps he was able to make from the previous year, it was just remarkable to see the steps and strides he was able to make to solidify himself as the Heisman Trophy winner and second overall pick of the Washington Commanders. It’s going to be interesting to see how his career ends up panning out. I do love his skill set, I think he probably, not probably, I thought he was the best quarterback as far as overall skillset, pocket presence, going through the process of reading the routes, I just thought he was the best all-around quarterback in this 2024 draft."

- Patrick Peterson via USA Today Sports

It's worth remembering that Peterson is an LSU alum. However, he's not alone in his thoughts regarding Daniels potentially being better than No. 1 pick Caleb Williams when push comes to shove.

The likes of Dan Orlovsky held a similar view before the draft. If this turns out to be accurate, it won't be much longer before the Commanders are competing for honors.

Daniels' ceiling is enormously high, but it's important to temper expectations and keep the bigger picture in mind during his rookie adjustment. Thankfully, the Commanders have placed the correct environment around the signal-caller to ensure there won't be too many complications when the regular season arrives.

There is a growing sense that the Commanders have something special on their hands. Nurturing it correctly will be key. This also means the questionable offensive line must somehow come together and provide Daniels with the clean pockets needed to make an instant statement.

Easier said than done, especially considering the concerns around the offensive tackle positions. That said, Daniels has the mobility and pocket awareness to compensate for these deficiencies en route to a profitable first year in a professional environment.

Sky's the limit for Daniels. Peterson's glowing reference only lends further weight to these claims.