'It is easy to see why': How Jayden Daniels turned the Commanders' new hope at QB

(Editor’s be aware: This story was initially revealed on Could 3, 2024, after the Commanders chosen Daniels No. 2 total within the 2024 NFL draft.)

ASHBURN, Va. — With the Chicago Bears on the clock holding the primary decide within the 2024 NFL draft, Washington Commanders common supervisor Adam Peters gathered scouts, coaches, executives and different Commanders personnel within the group’s makeshift struggle room to share the announcement many had lengthy anticipated.

Many within the group had anticipated they would choose LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. However no one knew for sure. And now, after telling members of the possession group individually earlier within the day, Peters made it official.

He advised them, in response to one particular person within the room, they’re getting a “younger man who loves soccer” and would assist them “change this franchise without end.”

Then, in response to the supply, Peters lastly stated: “We’re going with Jayden.”

The room erupted with cheers, clapping and high-fives.

“It was like a room of pleasure,” stated an individual who was there. “It put all people comfortable.”

The announcement ended months of hypothesis from these outdoors of Peters’ inside circle about who Washington, with the No. 2 decide, would faucet to entrance a brand new period of Commanders soccer. Although many inside indicators pointed to Daniels, there have been nonetheless questions earlier than Peters, main his first draft as a common supervisor, knowledgeable the room of his decide.

He preferred Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy greater than presumed second selection Drake Maye, the North Carolina QB, in response to a number of sources. However Daniels — due partly to his expertise, polish, resilience and game-changing capability — turned the group’s high decide early of their analysis and by no means misplaced floor.

Whereas each No. 2 decide is of giant significance, this decide may alter the trajectory of a franchise attempting to ascertain a brand new id below proprietor Josh Harris — who bought the group final summer season — first-year Commanders coach Dan Quinn and first-time GM Peters. Washington is trying to get past greater than twenty years of futility below earlier proprietor Dan Snyder, and fixing its decades-long quarterback drawback with a long-term reply would go a great distance towards engaging in that purpose. Washington has began 33 quarterbacks since final profitable the Tremendous Bowl after the 1991 season. The Commanders began eight previously 4 years and no quarterback has served because the No. 1 man for greater than three years since Mark Rypien from 1989-93.

They wanted to verify that they had the fitting man. Ultimately, their course of led them again to the place they started: Daniels.

“We knew it was Jayden for some time,” Peters stated. “It might have taken so much for it to not be Jayden. The entire constructing I might say was unanimous on that one. It is easy to see why.”

ALL ALONG, MULTIPLE SOURCES stated Daniels was the man with whom they have been smitten. Somebody wanted to knock him off the mountaintop; nobody did.

Earlier than becoming a member of the Commanders in January, Peters spent the 2023 common season because the assistant common supervisor for the San Francisco 49ers — a group that was not seeking to draft a quarterback within the first spherical — and had not begun finding out movie of the 2024 QB class.

In keeping with a number of sources in Washington, Peters was additionally excessive on McCarthy. Others within the constructing have been, too. The 2023 nationwide champion was environment friendly, had a powerful arm and moved properly. Washington’s decision-makers additionally cherished that he was personable.

Many within the NFL stated McCarthy had untapped potential due to Michigan’s run-heavy offensive method, however many within the group thought he wanted extra expertise. Washington additionally closely scouted Maye in addition to Michael Penix Jr. All 4 quarterbacks visited Washington earlier than the draft. Ultimately, McCarthy was second on its checklist of choices.

It didn’t take lengthy to develop a powerful opinion of Daniels as soon as group officers began watching his movie after the season. In truth, one supply stated, the sport that set Washington on the Daniels’ path was LSU’s season-opening 45-24 loss to Florida State. Daniels threw for 346 yards and ran for 64 extra, however one Commanders supply stated, along with his polish and arm expertise, they preferred how he responded after struggling a number of massive hits.

There have been questions on Daniels: Although he measured 6-foot-3 5/8 and weighed 210 kilos at his professional day, some questioned in regards to the massive hits he’d taken in video games, owing partly to his working capability. Would he defend himself properly sufficient to final within the NFL? His excessive pressure-to-sack price was additionally considered as a priority within the analytics neighborhood. He was sacked 24.5% of the time when pressured in his 5 seasons (three at Arizona State, two at LSU). At LSU, he went from 30.8 his first season (2022) to twenty.2 final yr. His profession quantity was larger than the opposite prospects within the first spherical. Additionally, Daniels tried 68 passes between the hashes, the fifty fifth most within the NCAA final yr.

Most evaluators within the NFL pegged USC’s 2022 Heisman winner Caleb Williams as the very best quarterback due to his dynamic capability and excellence on off-schedule performs. He was thought of the plain selection for Chicago at No. 1.

Peters, in the meantime, stated he couldn’t imagine how good Daniels was when he lastly watched the tape.

“The best way he can course of, the way in which he can see the sector, the way in which he goes by means of his reads, the way in which he delivers [the ball] on time. He is the very best deep-ball thrower within the draft,” Peters stated, “and that is even earlier than we begin watching him run and the way in which he runs he simply takes your soul as a protection. You suppose you bought him after which rapidly, he rips off a 40-yard run. And that is in opposition to the SEC, the very best of the very best.”

Peters stated Washington by no means thought of buying and selling again within the draft, although he later advised Huge 100 Radio in Washington that they acquired just one supply and “it did not transfer the needle.” However although all indicators pointed to drafting Daniels, Peters was decided to complete the analysis course of — simply in case.

On the scouting mix in February, Peters advised an assembled group that included offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Harris, entrance workplace guide Bob Myers and Quinn “one thing has to occur to not be Jayden.”

Through the group’s 15-minute interview session with Daniels on the mix, these within the room stated the laid-back Daniels was not oozing pleasure.

Till they turned on the sport movie.

“He sat up in his chair and he was dialed in,” one particular person within the room stated. “He is aware of his stuff. It was his physique language. He perked up.”

One other particular person stated, “You might see Jayden simply lights up when the tape comes on. You may’t pretend that. He simply goes, ‘Yeah, let’s discuss soccer.’ It was genuine.”

After drafting Daniels final Thursday, Peters referenced different promoting factors that led Washington to the choice, together with his use of digital actuality, which Daniels claims helped him enhance by “70 to 80%” for his last yr.

On the mix, Quinn revealed his want for Daniels — maybe unintentionally — one group supply stated. Whereas enjoying a phrase affiliation recreation throughout an look on D.C.-based 106.7 The Fan, Quinn referred to Daniels as a “game-changer.” No different quarterback, together with Williams, acquired such reward.

play

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels’ prospect profile

Try a number of the high faculty highlights from new Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.

DANIELS HAD ADVOCATES outdoors of Washington as properly. Former Arizona State coach Herm Edwards, who recruited Daniels and coached him for 3 years, advised Peters that Daniels “was a person; do not let his youth idiot you.” One supply stated San Francisco receiver Brandon Aiyuk, an in depth good friend of Daniels’, sang his praises to Peters. And San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan, with whom Peters labored for seven years, additionally gave Daniels a glowing evaluation.

From that Florida State movie on, nothing modified Washington’s opinion of Daniels. The Commanders spoke to folks from Arizona State, the place Daniels performed three years, and LSU. One supply checked out his highschool transcripts. They requested about his character.

Peters additionally preferred that Daniels had the passcode modified at an LSU facility so he may enter after hours for extra work. He additionally organized 5 a.m. exercises along with his receivers; Washington’s officers have been impressed he may cajole his teammates to attend at that hour. That, one supply stated, resonated as a lot as something with Peters.

The packing containers stored getting checked in Daniels’ favor.

However the curiosity nonetheless went again to his on-field exploits. Like Peters, Quinn stated Washington preferred the extent of competitors Daniels performed within the SEC, and the sophistication of the defenses he confronted.

“That they had seems to be and various things that Jayden has been in a position to actually course of issues rapidly,” Quinn, a former defensive coordinator, stated. “He has an actual decision-making course of that is quick.”

Quinn additionally preferred his expertise. Daniels performed in 55 video games over 5 seasons and began 26 extra video games than McCarthy and 29 greater than Maye.

“That is an enormous deal, man, as a result of they’ve seen the s— , they’ve made the error,” Quinn stated. “You do not wish to take any person that does not have a number of snaps.”

They considered his switch to LSU as a constructive.

“You might make a case and say he is already needed to undergo a brand new system and new folks and new experiences,” Quinn stated.

Daniels felt the Commanders’ love and, after his top-30 go to ended on April 17, Daniels’ agent, Ron Butler, stated Daniels excitedly advised him, “I am Quinn’s man.”

DURING HIS PRIVATE airplane experience house after his information convention in Washington, Daniels, surrounded by household and associates, spent an hour of the journey pretending to face on the line of scrimmage, calling out checks or performs that he already knew from the Commanders’ playbook.

At his introductory information convention, Daniels stated he felt “no strain” to vary Washington’s decades-long historical past of struggles at quarterback, however he is aware of the expectations. Daniels stated he doesn’t take without any consideration the accountability of main a struggling franchise again to prominence. He additionally doesn’t assume he will likely be simply given the beginning job to open the season — although he says he was dropped at Washington “for a motive.”

Daniels’ expertise and talent give him an opportunity to start out instantly, a number of sources stated earlier than the draft.

“When that point comes, when he is prepared, then that is once we’ll do it. However there isn’t any timeline on that,” Quinn stated.

If Daniels doesn’t begin straight away, Washington would go along with Marcus Mariota. Nonetheless, each Quinn and Peters have stated this offseason they wish to depend on a powerful protection and run recreation to scale back the burden on a rookie quarterback. In addition they added veteran offensive gamers, comparable to tight finish Zach Ertz and working again Austin Ekeler, to reduce the necessity for Daniels to be the chief of the unit straight away.

Quite a few NFL coaches imagine Kingsbury’s offense will likely be good for Daniels. The previous Arizona Cardinals coach has expertise with quarterbacks who can run. Kingsbury likes to make use of run-pass choices and he needs to assault down the sector. Daniels stated he preferred what Kingsbury needed to say throughout their conferences, however he has additionally watched his offense through the years.

“Simply the artistic thoughts that he has on the offensive facet,” Daniels stated of Kingsbury. “How he can assault defenses. Clearly, what he was doing over Arizona, , with [quarterback] Kyler [Murray] and having success. I wish to go on the market and I wish to achieve success, however it comes with placing the work in every day.”

“He wasn’t handed something,” Peters stated. “He is earned every little thing he is obtained.”

That included being the No. 2 decide within the draft. And on that airplane experience house, he obtained again to work. The Commanders, in the meantime, are happy with their luck, realizing what it may imply for the franchise.

“We could not be happier,” Peters stated.