Jayden Daniels now odds-on favorite to be No. 2 pick in NFL Draft
Jayden Daniels’ growth as a senior was borderline unprecedented as he led the best offense in the country to a monster season and as a result captured the Heisman Trophy. now. Daniels is says away from hearing his name called early in the draft, and that hunger continues to drive him every day to further improve.
“[I’ve improved on my] Consistency, off-platform and in the pocket, that I’m able to get my feet underneath me,” Daniels said when talking to NFL Network after his Pro-Day. “I’m still making throws consistently — same spiral, same trajectory, the ball is not dying on me, or stuff like that. That’s the biggest thing I’ve been working on.”
At 23-years old, Daniels has been at the center of the biggest debate in the NFL over the past month: Who will go No. 2 in the draft? Drake Maye out of North Carolina has a compelling case, but Daniels’ year at LSU paired with his workouts may have given him the edge. Here, we’re going to break down the latest odds, the potential fits, and analysis from draft experts across the country.
“I’m just gonna be blessed whenever I hear my name called,” Daniels said in March. “It’s a blessing that as a kid I dreamt of wanting to play in the NFL, wanting to be a part of this fraternity. That dream will be a reality real soon. I just wanna go to the best situation. If that’s the first pick, if that’s the 32nd pick. I’m just blessed overall just to be here and wherever I hear my name called I’ll be happy.”
Mock Drafts
Yahoo: No. 2 to Washington
CBS: No. 2 to Washington
PFF: No. 3 to Denver
ESPN: No. 2 to Washington
The Athletic: No. 2 to Washington
Jayden Daniels has moved to -400 on Draftkings to be the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday, making him the definitive favorite just two days out. At this point, it would be a surprise if he was not the pick, but a lot of people are saying if he’s not, there will be a bidding war to try to move up to No. 3 to get him. There have been reports of the Raiders and the Vikings trying to move up to No. 2 in the draft, but the Commanders want to stick to the pick, per GM Adam Peters.
Insiders across the sports have begun locking in Daniels as the No. 2 pick, whether they think he’s the second best quarterback in this draft or not.
Potential landing spots/situations
The Commanders have Kliff Kingsburry as their new offensive coordinator, who has ample experience coaching dual-threat athletes at quarterback, most recently with Kyler Murray with the Arizona Cardinals. Washington also features a decent receiving corps for Daniels to step into, with Terry McLaurin, a savvy veteran who has four-straight 1,000 yard seasons, leading the way. Jahon Dotson is a blossoming talent going into his third year, while Zach Ertz is a reliable tight end option.
The offensive line and running back room has room to improve this offseason, even after the addition of Austin Ekeler, but Daniels understands this is going to be a rebuild that takes some time if this is where he ends up.
The Patriots are at pick No. 3 and while they’ll have plenty of offers to move the pick, they are still in the driver’s seat and could very well take Daniels. Adam Schefter said the price of the trade will go up a lot if Daniels is available, meaning they’re more likely to keep that pick and take him.
New England has one of the worst receiver rooms in the league with Kendrick Bourne, KJ Osborn, and Juju Smith-Schuster leading the way. The offensive line has some holes as well and could be another target in the draft. If they pick a quarterback at No. 3, expect a lot more offensive picks to follow.
Expert’s Analysis on Daniels
“Daniels’ rushing ability and fundamentals give him a high floor as a player who can put a ton of stress on a defense. His arm talent is adequate to give him a decently high ceiling and makes him a worthy first-round bet to make.”
“Jayden Daniels is one of the most improved players in college football over the past two years. He is an experienced passer who doubles as an impact runner. His decision-making has improved immensely since his days at Arizona State. Daniels has enough arm strength to push the ball downfield . He showed the ability to uplift and entire offense this past season.”
The Athletic: No. 8 Prospect
Dane Brugler: “Overall, Daniels is a smooth point guard from the pocket when his eyes stay on schedule, and his dazzling run skills make him a problem for defenses. This isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison, but NFL scouts say he forces opponents to defend him like Lamar Jackson.”
ESPN: No. 3 QB
Jordan Reid: “Pocket patience was an issue coming into the season and many scouts said Daniels constantly left the pocket prematurely without letting routes develop. But his composure improved exponentially. Defenses tried to blitz Daniels, yet that’s when he was at his best. He completed 71.1% of his throws with 17 touchdown passes and zero interceptions when blitzed. Daniels’ running ability also challenged defenses, racking up 1,230 rushing yards (excluding sack yardage lost) and 10 scores on the ground.”
