Lofty Jayden Daniels comparison should propel Commanders' interest

Jayden Daniels received a lofty comparison as the Washington Commanders consider the quarterback at No. 2 overall.

Nothing has been set in stone regarding what the Washington Commanders are going to do at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, but there is growing momentum building around Jayden Daniels. Adam Schefter of ESPN and countless other analysts seem to think this is the way general manager Adam Peters is leaning, although no concrete information is emerging from within the organization as part of a new professional approach.

Daniels looks like a tremendous scheme fit for offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbiry's system and boasts the dynamic dual-threat traits normally associated with productive modern-day quarterbacks. Unlike Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy, the Heisman Trophy winner is also ready to start immediately.

There are some concerns about his slender build and how it might hold up at the next level given his playing style. That said, it's about the only genuine red flag where Daniels is concerned. He's got everything and is even touted by many to be a better prospect than Caleb Williams, who looks destined for the Chicago Bears at No. 1 overall.

Commanders draft candidate Jayden Daniels gets Patrick Mahomes comparison

Bruce Feldman from The Athletic also had the Commanders taking Daniels at No. 2 in his latest mock draft. When speaking to an anonymous coach about the signal-caller, there were comparisons with none other than three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes in regards to how hard both are to defend thanks to mobility and an elite-level ability to perform off-script.

"I people this: Outside of Patrick Mahomes, I haven’t coached against someone like this. He’s just very hard to defend. We tried to force him to run it to take it out of his hands. The throws he makes and the timing he has, I thought was second to none. He throws the deep ball extremely accurately. He improved a lot. He’s a really good deep ball thrower with more than above-average arm strength. Those 15-, 20-yard touch throws were better than I thought. He didn’t look like he was that fast, but he just glides and runs by people, and he outruns their angles. Florida wasn’t very good last year but they still had team speed, and even when they had angles on him, he’d run by them. When you eyeball him before the game, he doesn’t look very big, but he’d lower his shoulder and could take punishment."

- Anonymous coach via The Athletic

Kingsbury is no stranger to Mahomes, who he coached at Texas Tech. Whether he sees something similar in Daniels is up for debate, but this might end up being the tipping point above all else when push comes to shove.

Things will be more difficult for Daniels at the next level, but he processes information quickly. This is matched by a rapid release and arm strength to get the football out quickly and with velocity at all three levels of the field. If routes aren't developing as expected, that's when his athleticism comes into play.

Daniels is a favorite with sportsbooks, although Maye and McCarthy aren't without their supporters. There won't be much longer before fans find out who the Commanders pick. If it's the LSU prospect, it would be a surprise if he wasn't able to hit the ground running en route to potentially becoming a genuine franchise presence under center.

Expecting him to come close to Mahomes in terms of accomplishments is unfair and unrealistic. But that's not to say Daniels cannot have a magnificent NFL career.

Will that be as the Commanders' new QB1? Time will tell…