Jayden Daniels: NFL Rookie Sensation

By Richie LaPaglia

ASU University 2019-2021

Daniels began his transfer to Arizona State in January 2019 and won the starting quarterback job over Joey Yellen. He was the first Sun Devils quarterback to start week 1 ever. He had a great freshman year by being named MVP of the 2019 Sun Bowl and was a semifinalist for the Freshman of the Year Award. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic limited him and the team to four games. The following year, he led the Pac 12 in completion percentage and led the team to an appearance in the 2021 Las Vegas Bowl. Daniels, wanting a Championship and better chance at the draft, transferred to Louisiana State University, home of some of the best college athletes in America.

LSU University 2022-2023

Daniels immediately won the starting job and led the team to a berth in the SEC Championship game. After being tackled by Jalen Carter, he left the game and ultimately would lose as Georgia would go on to win the College Football Championship. He did return for the Citrus Bowl and destroyed Purdue 63-7 on a career day. 2023 is what made him a class-act top draft pick. First, he was named a team captain and during that year, he set 2 SEC records. This even after a 9-3 season, and no College Football Championship, awarded him the Heisman trophy. The Heisman is an award that goes to the best player in Division 1 football that year similar to an MVP. His 5,000 passing yards and 50 touchdowns combined made him the best of the best. He became the 3rd LSU quarterback to win the Heisman and most recently, Joe Burrow who is an elite quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals. The next chapter, awaited in the NFL.

Washington Commanders 2024-2025 Season

Daniels was drafted by the Commanders with the 2nd pick in the draft. He acquired the #5 and signed his four year rookie contract. Not too many people were expecting a big season out of the Commanders and expected it to be another rebuilding season with Daniels. He proved them wrong again! In his 3rd game, he set the rookie completion percentage at a whopping 91.3% of passes completed. He was then named offensive rookie of the month. Just before halfway through the season, Daniels did the unthinkable, down 15-12 as time expired against the Chicago Bears, he flung a 52 yard Hail Mary which deflected into Noah Brown’s hands as the Commanders won and improved to 6-2. The play has been called “Hail Maryland” regarding where the team’s location is in Maryland outside of D.C. Daniels finished the regular season with 3,568 passing yards, 25 touchdown passes, 891 rushing yards, and 6 rushing touchdowns. He was selected to the 2025 Pro Bowl games and was the fourth to do so all time. 

Playoffs

Once the Commanders got into the playoffs, many people expected one win or a first round exit. Neither of those happened. First, Daniels and the Commanders went on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Commanders took the lead late in the fourth quarter with a touchdown from Daniels to Terry McLaurin going up 20-17. The Buccaneers tied the game with a field goal and it was all in Daniels’s hands. He ran for a 4 yard scramble on third down putting them in a position to drain the clock and attempt a field goal to win the game. Zane Gonzalez, making it closer than most wanted, doinked the attempt in and the Commanders won their first playoff game in 7,000 days. Now they would head to Detroit to play the top-seeded Lions in a game no one thought the outcome would be. Daniels had two touchdown passes in the 2nd quarter to McLaurin and Zach Ertz leading them to a stunning 31-21 halftime lead. Their run-game did the rest, scoring two more touchdowns inside the 1 yard line and knocking off the Lions 45-31. The Commanders advanced to their first NFC Conference Championship game since 1992, also against the Lions. Daniels finished the game with 299 passing yards and 2 touchdown passes leading into their game against divisional rival, the Philadelphia Eagles, in Philadelphia. Since they were a wild card team, nothing came easy, having to win their two games on the road and now a 3rd. This clearly proved to show the fatigue and roughness of the game. The Commanders defense was not on point and allowed 55 points to Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley. Daniels didn't have one of his best days, only throwing one touchdown pass and an interception. The final score: a blowout defeat of 55-23. Even though the season ended in heartbreak, Jayden Daniels put on one of the best rookie campaigns in NFL history and should be in the playoffs and possibly Super Bowls for many more years to come.