Tag: Jayden Daniels

Former NFL executive says he’d rather have Sam Howell than Jayden Daniels?

Lombardi’s track record isn’t very good.

Former NFL executive Mike Lombardi is never one to shy away from saying something controversial. More often than not, Lombardi’s outspoken criticisms don’t age well.

These days, Lombardi co-hosts a podcast covering the NFL and pops up on the radio from time to time. On Monday, he was a guest of the “Sports Junkies” on 106.7 The Fan in Washington, D.C.

No surprise, Lombardi was outspoken.

“I said this to three or four head coaches in the league this offseason: I would rather have had Sam Howell than a lot of these quarterbacks that are drafted in the first round,” he said via Lou DiPietro of Audacy.

“Other than Caleb Williams, I probably would rather have Sam Howell than any of them. What do you think Jayden Daniels would have done in that offense last year? He would have never made it through Week 3! (Howell) is tougher than nails. He got the crap beat out of him, and they gave him no help at all. Riverboat Ron was standing over there watching Bieniemy call passes and he was too scared to tell him to not do it. He was completely intimidated by him. He didn’t want to rattle the cages, or do anything politically that could upset things. The players were upset with Ron for not saying something!”

A lot of what Lombardi said here is on the money. Howell is tough, Bieniemy was bad as Washington’s OC and Rivera stood there with his arms crossed for much of the season. However, to say he’d rather have Howell than Daniels is probably a stretch. This is how you pose this question: If all 32 NFL teams had a quarterback need and held the No. 2 overall pick, would they choose Daniels or stick with Howell?

It’s fair to say that most would go with Daniels.

Back to Howell. He can play. We’ve gone on record multiple times stating that he is a starting quarterback in the NFL. He was put in a horrible position last season, and despite lots of promise in the first half, he predictably crashed in the second half. He had no help from the coaching staff.

Washington general manager Adam Peters had the chance to stick with Howell, trade down for a haul of picks and build around him. He chose Daniels. That’s not a knock on Howell, but likely how almost all other NFL decisionmakers would have proceeded, too.

Adam Schefter: Commanders were never selecting Drake Maye

Schefter said all along it was Jayden Daniels.

The drama is finally over as the Washington Commanders selected LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels at No. 2 overall in last week’s 2024 NFL draft.

While there was never any drama surrounding who the Chicago Bears would choose No. 1 overall, the Commanders did an excellent job of keeping things close to the vest. At one point it was thought to be North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, then the odds would shift back to Daniels.

Then there were rumors that it could be Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Maye was never going to Washington.

“You had me on from Ann Arbor two Fridays ago, and the odds on Drake Maye got up, and the truth is the Commanders, the two quarterbacks they had in consideration at 2 were Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy,” Schefter said on Monday’s edition of the “Pat McAfee Show.”

“So, Drake Maye wasn’t going 2. He just wasn’t going 2. He was going 3.”

Well, there you have it. Washington general manager Adam Peters said on Thursday that the Commanders had been settled on Daniels for a while. So, the interest in Maye was a good cover. It was always mostly about Daniels.

Former LSU teammates Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers have big bet on OROY

You have to appreciate the confidence in Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers.

On Thursday night, former LSU stars Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers were selected in the first six picks of the 2024 NFL draft. The quarterback Daniels went No. 2 overall to the Washington Commanders and the wide receiver Nabers was selected by the New York Giants at pick No. 6.

Both guys come across as highly confident about their skills and the impact they will have in the NFL. For Daniels, he’s now the face of the Washington franchise and for Nabers, he joins a Giants offense with a desperate need for a playmaker in the passing game.

In fact, both guys are so confident that they have a $10,000 bet on which of them will win Offensive Rookie of the Year this season.

Both guys should have huge rookie seasons. Daniels gets the edge just based on the fact he’s a quarterback and Nabers is going to be the top weapon in a Giants offense with some questionable quarterback play. Oh and they probably don’t want to include Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams in this bet.

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Where does Commanders QB Jayden Daniels situation rank among recent rookie quarterbacks?

What type of situation will Daniels face as a rookie?

Whoever the Washington Commanders drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft was entering a good situation as a rookie. That’s not always the case for a team picking that high.

Washington’s situation is unique. The Commanders have a new owner, general manager and coaching staff. GM Adam Peters was busy in free agency, adding talent to a 4-13 roster. On Thursday, Washington selected Jayden Daniels at No. 2 overall as its quarterback.

Daniels enters a good situation as a rookie. In addition to the Commanders having several talented offensive weapons, new head coach Dan Quinn built his coaching staff on supporting a rookie quarterback. Quinn hired four former quarterbacks on the offensive staff, led by offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

So, how does Daniels’s situation compare to other rookie passers and some in recent years?

Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports ranked 15 recent rookie quarterbacks drafted in Rounds 1-3 over the past three seasons based on the situation they entered as rookies.

Daniels came in at No. 4:

Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury didn’t necessarily mesh well with his last dual-threat investment, Kyler Murray. But he’s familiar with mobile types, and Daniels will also have the benefit of learning under new assistant Brian Johnson, who helped Jalen Hurts’ growth in Philly. Most importantly, he’ll have proven safety valves like Terry McLaurin and Austin Ekeler as part of his Day 1 lineup.

This is fair. He ranked Texans QB C.J. Stroud No. 1, which isn’t necessarily true. Stroud was so good as a rookie he made those around him better. At this time, one year ago, no one believed Stroud was entering a desirable situation as a rookie. He made it that way.

Daniels has some excellent offensive weapons, but there will still be concerns about the offensive line, particularly at left tackle.

Jayden Daniels wants to change the culture in Washington

Daniels won 10 games in his final two seasons at LSU. The last time the Washington Commanders won 10 games in a season was in 2012.

With the second pick of the 2024 NFL draft, the Washington Commanders selected LSU quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag].

Last season at LSU, Daniels won the Heisman Trophy after having one of the greatest seasons in LSU quarterback history. Daniels started in 12 games for the Tigers and he threw for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns, and four interceptions. He had a completion percentage of 72.2%.

He was the best quarterback in the country last season and two of his wide receivers joined him in the first round as [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] were both taken in the first round as well.

After being drafted by the Commanders, Daniels was asked about what he wanted to accomplish during his first season.

“I’m very confident,” Daniels said. “Obviously, it’s a new regime there and, you know, I’m excited just to come in and really just change the culture and help the team win in each and every way that I can. Come in, work hard and we’ll see where the course takes itself.”

Daniels won 10 games in his final two seasons at LSU. The last time the Washington Commanders won 10 games in a season was in 2012. The Commanders have made the playoffs two times since then so they are hoping Daniels can revive their franchise.

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Commanders QB Jayden Daniels said 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk was his dream teammate

Daniels and Aiyuk are close from their time together at Arizona State.

Before the Washington Commanders selected LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday, he walked the red carpet doing multiple interviews.

In one such interview, Daniels was asked who his dream NFL teammate would be. He didn’t hesitate to name 49ers star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Why Aiyuk? Well, that’s easy. In 2019, Aiyuk, a senior, was teammates with Daniels — then a freshman quarterback. During that season, the two became close, and Aiyuk enjoyed a phenomenal season with 1,192 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

That performance led Aiyuk to become the San Francisco 49ers’ first-round pick in 2020. Aiyuk is entering his fifth NFL season, while Daniels begins his career.

The 2024 season is also Aiyuk’s last under his rookie deal. He can become a free agent in the offseason, which led to some trade chatter during the NFL draft.

If the 49ers can’t agree to a new deal with Aiyuk, would they consider trading him to Washington? After all, Commanders general manager Adam Peters spent the previous eight seasons in San Francisco’s front office.

Washington is in good shape at wide receiver with Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, but they need another to step up. The Commanders drafted Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey in the third round of the draft.

Washington is unlikely to make a move for Aiyuk. For one, the 49ers want to keep him. Secondly, the Commanders would need to part with a premium pick for Aiyuk and then pay him a large contract.

Commanders receive the only A+ grade for their draft from CBS

The Commanders are headed in the right direction.

You’d be hard to find too many people who thought the Washington Commanders had a bad 2024 NFL draft. Washington had nine selections, beginning at No. 2 overall when it selected LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.

The Commanders had an unprecedented five selections on Day, which included three second-round picks and two third-round picks. Of its nine selections, all came at different positions.

We graded each Washington pick, and it compared favorably to the consensus.

On Sunday, longtime NFL writer Pete Prisco of CBS Sports weighed in on the Commanders’ draft class. He’s a big fan. In fact, the A+ that Prisco gave Washington was the only one he handed out for the 2024 draft.

In my book, there were five teams that had really good drafts, the best of them all being the Washington Commanders, who received my only A+ grade. First-year general manager Adam Peters, who came over from San Francisco, nailed his first draft, starting with quarterback Jayden Daniels, who they took second overall. He will be a star. Peters kept going after that, loading up on good, talented players, many of whom I liked throughout the process. Yes, my film evaluation plays into the grades.

Here is Prisco’s analysis on the picks:

Best Pick: It was their first one, quarterback Jayden Daniels. I think he will be the best quarterback from this draft. They locked up a franchise passer with pick No. 2. He will be dynamic.

Worst Pick: I didn’t love the pick of third-round receiver Luke McCaffrey, although he has talent and is improving. I think there were better options on the board — like Troy Franklin — when the pick was made.

The Skinny: In his first year running the draft, general manager Adam Peters killed it. It started by taking Daniels with the second overall pick, but continued throughout the process. This is a team moving in the right direction. I liked all their second-round picks in defensive tackle Johnny Newton, corner Mike Sainristil and tight end Ben Sinnott. They drafted a lot of talented football players.

Prisco is correct; the Commanders are headed in the right direction. While no one can know for certain if these players will help reverse Washington’s fortunes, there are reasons to be optimistic, and that begins with Peters and Daniels.

2024 Top-10 fantasy football rookies

2024 was the Year of the Quarterback. It was not the Year of the Running Back.

Seven rounds later in Detroit and the NFL draft seeded teams with rookies. Rosters are relatively set, other than a few free agents that have yet to land. How did this draft compare to previous seasons?

Quarterbacks


An NFL-record six quarterbacks were selected over the first twelve picks and then none until the 5.15 pick for another record gap. The fury over picking signal callers suggests this may be a challenger to the famous 1983 class. But 2021 saw five taken in the first 15 selections and three years later, only Trevor Lawrence is still a starter from that entire draft class. This set of quarterbacks are expected to remake the landscape of the NFL within a few years. Or just become 2021 all over again.

Running Backs


Fantasy football loves rookie running backs. That’s about the end of affection for the position that continues to be devalued despite their contributions each season. A new NFL record was set when only Jonathon Brooks was drafted from the position over the first two rounds. And he’s fresh off a torn ACL six months ago. This was considered a weak class and the NFL treated it as if they were just adding special teamers instead of every-down contributors.

Tight Ends


Brock Bowers carries the only realistic fantasy hopes for a rookie tight end to matter. Only two tight ends were selected until the fourth round as a sign that the position carried minimal importance for 2024 outside of Bowers. He is the Sam LaPorta in this draft.

Wide Receivers


There was plenty of interest in wide receivers for the pass-happy NFL. The seven taken in Round 1 tied the record set in  2004. Three wideouts went over the first nine picks and there’s a lot of optimism about the first dozen selected. Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Keon Coleman landed in spots where there is an immediate opening to become the No. 1 wideout.

Overall, the draft was weak for rushing but infused a ton of talented youth into the passing game.

Top 10 fantasy rookies

  1. WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
    Arizona Cardinals 1.04, 6-3, 209 pounds, 4.35 est. 40-time
    Oddly, the top fantasy rookie is usually a running back but that changes this year. Harrison brings the complete elite package to Arizona where the next best wideout is Michael Wilson. The rookie has minimal competition for targets and a quarterback in Kyler Murray who is capable of a 4,000-yard season. The top wideout lands in perhaps the most advantageous situation of any receiver.
  2. RB Jonathon Brooks, Texas
    Carolina Panthers 2.14, 6-0, 216 pounds, 4.45 est. 40-time
    Fantasy loves rookie rushers and for good reasons. Brooks was the only back taken in the first two rounds. He was a first-round grade but comes off a torn ACL last November. He’s expected to be healthy for training camp and joins a rebuilding Panthers as their clear primary back.
  3. WR Keon Coleman, Florida State
    Buffalo Bills 6-3, 213 pounds 4.61 40-time
    The ex-Seminole was only the eighth wideout drafted but like Harrison, lands in an ideal spot with the Bills remaking their receivers and should turn into their No. 1 wideout soon if not immediately. Bills just lost 241 receptions from last year with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis gone. Not a burner, but Coleman should become the immediate possession receiver and a friend in the end zone.
  4. WR Brian Thomas, LSU
    Jacksonville Jaguars 1.23, 6-3, 209 pounds, 4.33 40-time
    The Jaguars needed to replace previous No. 1 wideout Calvin Ridley and turn to the speedy Fighting Tiger that led the nation with 17 receiving scores last year. He’ll slide into the No. 2 behind Christian Kirk and carry the expectation of being the No. 1 sooner than later. Paired with a healthy Trevor Lawrence should produce fantasy starter stats.
  5. RB Trey Benson, Florida State
    Arizona Cardinals 3.02, 6-0, 216 pounds, 4.39 40-time
    While Benson is not the immediate starter, he joins an improving Cardinals team that has relied on James Conner for three seasons with mostly moderate results. Conner is in his final contract year and Benson brings a much-needed speed element to the backfield. Conner is a 233-pound power back who always misses a few games. Benson will contribute from Day 1, fill in when Conner is hurt again, and angle to be the primary by 2025 at the latest.
  6. WR Malik Nabers, LSU
    New York Giants 1.06, 6-0, 200 pounds, 4.35 40-time
    There is no argument that Nabers is an elite talent that any team would benefit from using. That said, five years of Daniel Jones has produced ZERO 1,000-yard wideouts. Nabers drew the short straw and suffered the pain of being so good, that he was available to the worst teams. Nabers will improve the Giants, probably, but he’s landed in what has historically been the NFL Siberia for wide receivers.
  7. QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
    Washington Commanders, 6-3, 210 pounds, 4.35 40-time
    C.J. Stroud was the rare rookie quarterback that became a fantasy starter. And Caleb Williams was the 1.01 pick with the standard ridiculous skills and proven production. But Daniels lands in Washington, where the offense was upgraded and Daniels was the premier running quarterback in this draft. That looms huge as a rookie who will otherwise have to learn to read NFL defenses and synch up with his receivers. Or just run the ball as he did at LSU, where he gained 1,134 yards and ten touchdowns as a rusher last year.
  8. TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
    Las Vegas Raiders 1.13, 6-3, 243 pounds, 4.5 est. 40-time
    Not many analysts saw the Raiders grabbing Bowers, but he fell to the 1.13 despite being one of the best prospects at the position for many years. Bowers was the top receiver in Georgia for all three seasons. He just flattened Michael Mayer‘s career arc, but should offer fantasy startability for a Raiders’ offense that sports a weak backfield and only Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers as weapons when they pass.
  9. WR Xavier Worthy, Texas
    Kansas City Chiefs 1.28, 5-11, 165 pounds, 4.21 40-time
    The chance that Xavier Worthy will be overvalued in fantasy drafts is right at 100%. Even faster than Tyreek Hill, Worthy will have fantasy value in Year 1, and may surprise matched up with Patrick Mahomes. But he becomes just another option for an offense that also has Travis Kelce, Marquise Brown, Rashee Rice (maybe) and Kadarius Toney (for the two games that he lasts).  Worthy is smallish for any heavy workload and will need time to reach his potential. But have to think there are a handful of very deep scores waiting to happen.
  10. WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia 
    Los Angeles Chargers 4.13, 6-0, 186 pounds, 4.39 40-time
    Many other rookies could end up this good, but McConkey gets the advantage of landing with the Chargers where they stripped out their starting wideouts and McConkey could easily carve out a starting spot if not end up as the No. 1 receiver this year. But the wet blanket here is new HC Jim Harbaugh importing a run-heavy approach that threatens to significantly blunt the passing offense.

Top 10 dynasty rookies

  1. WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (ARI)
  2. RB Jonathon Brooks (CAR)
  3. QB Jayden Daniels (WAS)
  4. WR Keon Coleman (BUF)
  5. QB Caleb Williams (CHI)
  6. WR Brian Thomas (JAX)
  7. WR Malik Nabers (NYG)
  8. WR Rome Odunze (CHI)
  9. RB Trey Benson (ARI)
  10. WR Xavier Worthy (KC)

Watch highlights of new Commanders QB Jayden Daniels

Watch some of the best highlights from Jayden Daniels’ time at LSU.

No player in college football was more exciting than Jayden Daniels in 2023. Yes, that includes Caleb Williams. The LSU star was phenomenal, completing 72% of his passes for over 3,800 yards, with 40 touchdowns and only four interceptions.

Daniels was just as exciting on the ground, rushing for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns. It was enough to earn him the 2023 Heisman Trophy.

On Thursday, Daniels became the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft by the Washington Commanders. Daniels will start under center immediately for Washington in offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s offense.

There were some who believed that Daniels was the top overall player — ahead of Williams — in the 2024 class. Regardless, Washington believes it finally has the player to solve its seemingly endless quarterback problem.

What are the Commanders getting in Daniels? Let’s look at some of his college highlights.

Commanders drafted more elite athletes than any team in the NFL draft

Adam Peters focused on elite athleticism in the NFL draft.

Washington general manager Adam Peters definitely has a type. Throughout the pre-draft process, the Commanders brought in several prospects for visits who possessed some form of high-level athletic traits.

Whether it was 40 times, short-area quickness, long arms, etc., Washington liked what it saw on tape and wanted some face time with those players.

Now that the 2024 NFL draft is over, we look back at the Commanders’ nine selections and see a trend: Washington focused on players with at least one high-level trait. It began with the second overall pick, quarterback Jayden Daniels.

According to Next Gen Stats, the “Commanders targeted elite athletes throughout the draft, securing a league-high six players with an NGS athleticism score of 80 or higher.”

Even Washington’s final two picks were elite athletes. Safety Domonique Hampton is 6-foot-2, 215 pounds and posted the second-highest athletic score for safeties at the NFL combine. He ran the 40 in 4.51 seconds and posted a 39″ vertical leap.

Washington’s seventh-round pick, edge Javontae Jean-Baptiste, ran the 40 in 4.66 seconds at 6-foot-5, 239 pounds.

None of this means the Commanders or these players will all succeed, but it’s clear that Peters and head coach Dan Quinn have a plan. That’s new for Washington.