Jayden Daniels to Commanders with No. 2 pick in NFL draft

The Washington Commanders as soon as once more have turned to a dual-threat quarterback coming off a Heisman Trophy to assist revitalize their franchise.

The Commanders chosen LSU’s Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 choose within the NFL draft Thursday, ending months of hypothesis — and intense privateness by the group.

It’s the highest Washington has drafted a quarterback since Robert Griffin III was picked with the second choice in 2012. Like Griffin, Daniels additionally gained the Heisman Trophy and can enter the NFL as a risk to harm groups along with his arm and legs. Washington additionally thought of North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye and Michigan signal-caller J.J. McCarthy.

Because the draft drew nearer, it turned clear that Daniels was Washington’s favourite; a number of league sources anticipated him to go at No. 2, and staff sources anticipated it as effectively.

“We knew it was Jayden for some time,” Commanders basic supervisor Adam Peters stated. “It will have taken lots for it to not be Jayden. The entire constructing I’d say was unanimous on that one. It is easy to see why.”

However Daniels wasn’t positive what to anticipate.

“They did a reasonably good job of not displaying their hand an excessive amount of,” Daniels stated Thursday. “[But] I used to be fairly assured off the conversations I had. I am right here now and I can not wait to get to work.”

As a fifth-year senior for LSU final season, Daniels threw for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns with solely 4 interceptions. He additionally ran 135 occasions for 1,134 yards and eight touchdowns. He began 55 video games in his faculty profession, together with all 29 contests he performed over three seasons at Arizona State, which is the place he started his faculty profession.

When requested why Daniels, Peters responded, “Why not Jayden?

“To us, he was particular in each method, on the sphere and off the sphere,” he stated.

Peters added he didn’t begin severe scouting of the school quarterbacks till early January, when he was being wooed after which employed by Washington.

“I turned on Jayden for the primary time and I could not imagine how good he was,” Peters stated. “He was actually good, the way in which he can course of, the way in which he can see the sphere, the way in which he goes by means of his reads, the way in which he delivers [the ball] on time. He is the perfect deep ball thrower within the draft — 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 impulsively he rips off a 40-yard run. And that is towards the SEC — the perfect of the perfect.”

Peters stated Daniels has “nice velocity and acceleration; he is additionally a extremely, actually instinctive gifted runner.”

However with the operating comes potential for giant hits.

“With any quarterback, not simply Jayden, you need to inform to get down, not take the hit, which is that if that is your largest drawback with any individual, then it is a fairly whole lot there,” Peters stated. “We are going to encourage him to not take these hits. However he is so aggressive, he is so robust. He bought up each time. No questions on his toughness or his sturdiness. Simply wanting him to play 17 to twenty plus video games yearly, I need to make sure that he takes care of his physique.”

The Commanders are hoping that Daniels can fill the group’s largest on-field gap for many of the previous three many years. Washington has began 33 quarterbacks because it final gained the Tremendous Bowl after the 1991 season — and eight previously 4 years. If Daniels succeeds, he can breathe new life into the group on the sphere, after it has undergone an overhaul off the sphere.

Up to now eight months, Washington has gotten a brand new proprietor in Josh Harris, a brand new GM in Peters and coach in Dan Quinn. However for the franchise to develop into a title contender once more, it should obtain higher play from the quarterback place.

“It simply begins with I am simply coming in to compete,” Daniels stated. “I am coming in and attempting to play my position no matter that’s. I simply need to be the perfect teammate, assist the staff win and we will convey again some victories to Washington and we will have some enjoyable.”

The Commanders group hasn’t had a profitable file since 2016, hasn’t gained a playoff recreation because the 2005 season and hasn’t had an 11-win season since 1991 — additionally the final season it gained a Tremendous Bowl. Washington went 10-6 and gained the NFC East in Griffin’s rookie season. However within the subsequent 11 seasons, the group ranked twenty eighth in cumulative whole quarterback ranking and profitable share (.380) with no double-digit win finishes.

Daniels’ activity is to be a key piece to any on-field rejuvenation.

“They are going to get somebody that is a competitor that wishes to win it doesn’t matter what,” Daniels stated. “I need to assist the staff win and sooner or later sooner or later, we’ll get this factor rotated.”

Washington has tried to unravel the quarterback gap in a number of methods through the years, together with 4 first-round picks from 2002 to 2015. The franchise didn’t preserve Kirk Cousins, permitting him to depart through free company after the 2017 season — after buying and selling for Alex Smith. They signed free brokers resembling Ryan Fitzpatrick and purchased Carson Wentz through commerce.

Nothing has labored. The final time Washington had a quarterback open consecutive seasons because the starter was 2016-17 with Cousins. The Commanders will make it seven consecutive campaigns with a brand new Week 1 starter this 12 months, and no quarterback has served as the principle starter for 4 consecutive seasons since Mark Rypien did it from 1989 to 1993.

The Commanders traded final 12 months’s beginning quarterback, Sam Howell, to the Seattle Seahawks within the offseason. Washington already had three quarterbacks on its roster: Marcus Mariota, Jeff Driskel and Jake Fromm. On the homeowners conferences final month, Peters stated he could be comfy if Mariota needed to begin for an prolonged interval.

However Daniels stated he likes what the Commanders have in place, rattling off the names of a few of his new weapons on offense like receivers Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, tight finish Zach Ertz and operating backs Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler. Daniels additionally pointed to these in cost, together with Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

“Dan Quinn is a good man and lots communicate extremely of who he’s as an individual and the way he cares about his gamers,” Daniels stated. “Their monitor file speaks for itself. Kliff Kingsbury was with Kyler [Murray in Arizona], and for a time he had Kyler within the MVP dialog so I used to be excited to cut it up and speak ball with him.”

Daniels additionally appreciated his dealings with Peters.

“Yeah AP — he is a dude,” Daniels stated. “I am very assured in him that he’ll get this factor modified round.”