Brian Kelly identifies quality Jayden Daniels needs to improve on entering NFL
The 2024 NFL Draft is drawing closer, and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels is decked out in baby blue — his favorite color — ready and waiting for his phone to ring and to hear his name called.
However, before that can happen, Daniels’ head coach at LSU, Brian Kelly, joined ESPN College GameDay live on set at the 2024 NFL Draft to break down what the NFL team that drafts him will be getting in the former Tiger.
“It’s still about the ability to operate on time. The ball has got to come out on time,” Kelly told Nick Saban. “This is the NFL, those guys are coming after you in the pass rush situation, so the ball has got to come out on time. He’s not going to be able to do some of the ad hoc kind of, you know, scramble and extend plays that he did in the college ranks. He’s going to have to let the ball come out on time.
“Now, his ability to recognize defenses was uncanny. His ability to study pick up things will be outstanding, but the ball coming out on time, I think, the thing [he will] continue to develop.”
On the field, Daniels backed up this claim from his former head coach. Daniels torched defenses in 2023 for career-best numbers across the board for LSU. He completed 72.2% of his throws for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns, and only four interceptions with his arm. On the ground, he tallied 1,134 additional yards along with 10 more scores.
Many expect him to hear his name called as high as No. 2 overall, a pick that resides with the Washington Commanders. Some have cited that his preparation, commitment to learning and connecting with this teammates have allowed him to skyrocket up NFL Draft boards during the pre-draft process. Whether that pays off with him being drafted second overall remains to be seen.
Daniels made an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up the morning of the draft, he was asked if he had any assurance from Washington that he would in fact be the draft’s second selection.
“Nah, I ain’t got any assurance,” Daniels said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, I don’t know when I’m going to hear my name called or by who so we shall see.”
Only time will tell where he eventually lands — but it’s unlikely Daniels will have to wait very long as the 2024 NFL Draft gets started at 8 p.m. ET live from Detroit.