Draft day is approaching quicker than we know it, and the question of the hour is how high [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] will be selected.
The 2023 Heisman winner entered the year widely viewed as an undrafted prospect, but his stock skyrocketed after a record-setting season. Now, he’s seen as a consensus first-round prospect with some mocks even having him as a top-five pick.
In a recent conversation with ESPN’s Field Yates, Mel Kiper Jr. said that Lamar Jackson’s success in the NFL paved the way for a player like Daniels to be a highly desired quarterback in the draft.
“I think how far do you want to move up Jayden? I think your comps are always something that we factor in a little bit,” Kiper said, per On3. “You mention Lamar Jackson – the 32nd pick, passed over by Arizona for Josh Rosen. Think about that? Josh Rosen went way, way ahead of Lamar Jackson.”
“You think about what Russell Wilson meant to Kyler Murray and Bryce Young? Showing you the 5’10 quarterback and having a successful, Super Bowl-winning career? All this opens up opportunities for guys coming in future years,” said Kiper Jr. “Certainly, Jayden can thank Lamar – no question about that.”
Kiper went even further, outright guaranteeing that Daniels would be a top-five pick in April’s draft.
“You think about where we are now? Jayden Daniels, because of Lamar Jackson, is now a top-five pick – guaranteed.”
Kiper has also said that he thinks Daniels could jump Drake Maye as QB2 and go as high as second overall in the draft.
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