Tag: LSU in NFL

Watch Jayden Daniels complete miraculous Hail Mary to give Commanders win

Jayden Daniels continues to make special plays as a rookie.

It wasn’t a banner day for the Washington Commanders offense in Week 8 on Sunday, but former LSU quarterback and star rookie [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] made the play that mattered the most.

Trailing by three to the Chicago Bears in the final seconds, Daniels scrambled around in the pocket for a while on the last play of the game before unleashing a Hail Mary toward the end zone.

It was tipped up by a mob of both team’s players and landed in the arms of Noah Brown for a game-winning touchdown. Daniels ultimately finished the game 21 of 38 for 326 yards and a touchdown on the Hail Mary in the 18-15 win. He also added 52 yards on the ground.

It’s one of many special moments for Daniels, who is a strong Rookie of the Year candidate amid a fantastic debut campaign. He has 11 total touchdowns to two interceptions on the season and already has more than 400 yards on the ground.

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Former LSU receivers continue to dominate the NFL

LSU continues to earn the title of WRU early in 2024.

For years, LSU was known as “DBU.”

The Tigers were synonymous with sending star defensive backs to the NFL. In recent years, former LSU defensive backs have continued to produce, but LSU has claimed the mantle at another position — wide receiver.

Three of the NFL’s six leading receivers are LSU products. [autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag] leads the NFL with 620 yards. [autotag]Justin Jefferson[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] rank fifth and sixth with 531 and 513 yards, respectively.

Further down the leaderboard, [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] ranks 14th with 427 yards. He sits eight in catches, despite only playing five games and getting rough quarterback play.

LSU put receivers in the NFL throughout the 2000s and 2010s. [autotag]Dwayne Bowe[/autotag] and [autotag]Brandon LaFell[/autotag] eventually gave way to [autotag]Odell Beckham Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Jarvis Landry[/autotag]. But the group in the league now is deeper and more talented.

Its a young group too, and its set up to lead the NFL for some time. Thomas and Nabers are rookies while Chase and Jefferson are just getting around to their second contracts.

Ohio State has a claim to “WRU” too with Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Marvin Harrison Jr. in the league. But that core doesn’t stack up with LSU’s at the moment.

LSU has another promising group of receivers on campus now. [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] and [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] both rank in the top 10 in the SEC in receiving yards and will aim to be LSU’s next difference makers at the next level.

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Brian Thomas Jr. honors LSU WR coach Cortez Hankton before scoring blazing touchdown for Jaguars

Former LSU receiver Brian Thomas Jr. honors LSU coach before taking 85-yard TD to the house.

LSU put a trio of stars into the NFL this year with [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] going in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. All three are off to strong starts, continuing to hold up LSU’s reputation of producing top-tier NFL talent.

Thomas, in particular, is putting on a show. Now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he has 22 catches for 397 yards on the year. On Sunday, he set career highs, eclipsing the 100-yard mark for the first time in his young NFL career with 5 catches for 122 yards and a score.

Before the game, Thomas wore a shirt paying respect to [autotag]Cortez Hankton[/autotag], Thomas’ wide receivers coach at LSU. The shirt featured images of Hankton from his time with the Jaguars.

The highlight of the day was an 85-yard touchdown in which Thomas hit 22.15 miles per hour, the fastest measured time for any ball carrier this season.

Thomas made a living off the deep ball at LSU and that hasn’t stopped now that he’s in the NFL.

Thomas’ blend of size and speed made him a tantalizing prospect for NFL teams. Entering 2023 at LSU, Thomas wasn’t projected to be an early-round pick. But after a strong year and an impressive performance at the NFL combine, Thomas was quick to make a rise up the draft board.

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LSU’s Jayden Daniels named NFC Offensive Player of the Week

Jayden Daniels outshined Joe Burrow in a battle between former LSU Heisman winners on Monday night.

Just three games into his rookie campaign, former LSU Heisman-winning quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] is already picking up some impressive accolades.

After outdueling fellow LSU Heisman winner [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] in a win for the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football, Daniels has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career.

Daniels was hyperefficient on Monday night, completing 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, he also made an impact with 39 yards and another touchdown.

For the season, Daniels is completing over 80% of his passes for 664 yards and two touchdowns, good for a 111.8 average quarterback rating.

https://twitter.com/Commanders/status/1838971784051249233

Daniels and the Commanders will be back in action in Week 4 on the road against the Cardinals.

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Jayden Daniels outshines Joe Burrow in duel of former LSU QBs

Jayden Daniels and Joe Burrow both impressed on Monday night, but it was Daniels coming up with the big throw late.

Two of the last five Heisman Trophy winners are LSU quarterbacks — [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] and [autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag]. And when two squared off for the first time on Monday night, it was the rookie Daniels coming out on top.

Daniels was nearly perfect. He completed 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards and two scores. He picked up six on the ground too, giving him more touchdowns than he had incompletions. His passer rating was 141.7, not far off from a perfect rating of 158.3.

The moment of the night came late in the fourth. Facing a third and seven at the Bengals 27, Daniels delivered a touchdown strike to Terry McLaurin to go up 38-26. The score all but sealed the win for the Commanders.

Burrow wasn’t too shabby either, throwing for 324 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 8.5 yards per attempt and didn’t turn it over.

LSU QBs dueling it out like this in the NFL was unheard of five years ago. For most of the 21st century, the narrative at LSU was one of failing to develop QBs.

That all changed when Burrow arrived in 2018 and was further solidified by Daniels’ Heisman performance in 2023. Now, [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] is continuing the trend, and LSU hopes [autotag]Bryce Underwood[/autotag], 2025’s top QB recruit, will do the same.

As for Daniels, his NFL future looks bright. He’s now the favorite to win Rookie of the Year. Through three games, Daniels is completing over 80% of his passes with five total touchdowns.

According to ESPN, he’s posted a 67.9 QBR, good enough to rank in the top 10 in the NFL.

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Former Heisman-winning LSU quarterbacks Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels will square off on Monday Night Football

For the first time in the NFL, LSU’s two Heisman-winning quarterbacks will face off.

Monday Night Football in Week 3 features two games, and one of them will pit a pair of Heisman-winning LSU quarterbacks against each other.

[autotag]Joe Burrow[/autotag] and the Cincinnati Bengals are looking for their first win of the year after a disappointing 0-2 start, and they’ll host [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] and the Washington Commanders at 7:15 p.m. CT on ABC. Daniels has led Washington to a 1-1 record through two weeks, earning a division win over the Giants in Week 2.

Daniels has been efficient passing the ball as a rookie, completing 40 of 53 passes for 410 yards. He has no touchdowns or interceptions through the air but has 132 yards with two touchdowns on 26 rushing attempts.

Burrow, meanwhile, has thrown for 422 yards and a pair of touchdowns with no picks through two games, but it hasn’t been enough for Cincinnati to get a win.

This could be the first of many times the two square off in the NFL, and it will certainly be a game of interest in prime time for LSU fans.

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Watch Jayden Daniels’ first NFL touchdown with Washington Commanders

Jayden Daniels has made a major impact on the ground in his NFL debut.

Former LSU Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels found the first time as an NFL player on Sunday in the third quarter of the Washington Commanders‘ Week 1 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It was a slow start for Daniels and Washington, but trailing 23-7 and needing to make a play, Daniels took it in himself from one yard out for the first touchdown of his career, cutting the Bucs’ lead to 23-14.

While Daniels was only 10 of 17 passing for 106 yards to that point, he was much more successful on the ground, totaling 72 yards on 11 carries. Here’s his first NFL score in all of its glory.

Daniels wasn’t the only LSU rookie who found the end zone in his debut on Sunday. [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] caught an impressive touchdown in a solid debut for the Jaguars, and while [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] didn’t score for New York in an ugly loss, he paced the team with 66 yards on five catches.

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Watch Brian Thomas Jr.’s first NFL touchdown with Jacksonville Jaguars

Brian Thomas Jr. wasted little time making an impact in his rookie debut.

Former LSU receiver [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag], a first-round pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars this past spring, got the start in Sunday’s season opener against the Miami Dolphins. He wasted little time making an impact.

In the second quarter, Thomas caught his first career NFL touchdown on a 14-yard dart from Trevor Lawrence, tip-toeing to keep his feet in bounds in the back corner of the end zone.

It was Thomas’ third catch of the game, putting him at 29 total yards, and he seems to be an early favorite target for Lawrence in his rookie campaign as he was drafted to help offset the loss of a 1,000-yard receiver in Calvin Ridley.

https://twitter.com/LaurieFitzptrck/status/1832833771613094197

It wasn’t Thomas’ only impressive moment in the first half. Earlier in the game, he beat All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey on a deep route and drew a pass interference call in the end zone. He almost caught the ball anyway, but the penalty set up a one-yard touchdown for Travis Etienne.

https://twitter.com/Jaguars/status/1832834282861322503

The former Tigers star could be poised for a big rookie season in Jacksonville.

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Ja’Marr Chase hilariously refutes rumor he wants a contract 1 penny larger than Justin Jefferson’s

“If I want to beat Justin, I’m going to beat the (expletive) out of Justin,” Ja’Marr Chase said amid his contract dispute with the Bengals.

It’s unclear if former LSU receiver [autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag] is going to suit up for the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. Chase is healthy entering the year, but he’s been a limited participant in practice amid a contract dispute with the team.

Chase still has two seasons remaining on his rookie deal, but after several top receivers got big-time contract extensions this offseason, Chase believes it’s his turn.

One of those players is Chase’s former college teammate [autotag]Justin Jefferson[/autotag], who signed a four-year, $140 million extension with the Minnesota Vikings over the summer. There have been rumors that Chase wants a deal that beats Jefferson’s by one penny, but he refuted those rumors this week in perfect Chase fashion.

“If I want to beat Justin, I’m going to beat the (expletive) out of Justin,” Chase said.

(WARNING: The following clip contains NSFW language)

Well, that makes things pretty clear.

It remains to be seen whether Chase will play against the Patriots in Week 1, but his frustration with his contract situation is obvious.

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Malik Nabers receives his official, newly unretired jersey number with New York Giants

The Giants are unretiring the No. 1 jersey for rookie wideout Malik Nabers.

The New York Giants have finally answered the question that everyone in the NFL and the media have been asking. What number is [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] going to wear?

The two numbers Nabers has worn before are 13 and 8. Neither of those numbers is available. Daniel Jones, the Giants quarterback wears No. 8, and former Tennessee wide receiver [autotag]Jalin Hyatt[/autotag] wears No. 13. With that said, the Giants decided to do something that no NFL team has ever done before. They have decided to un-retire a number.

The Giants have chosen to unretire the No. 1 for Nabers to wear in New York. The number was last worn by Giants legend Ray Flaherty. Flaherty played as an End for the Giants. His career started in 1929 playing for the New York Yankees football team. Yes, back then the Yankees were the name of the football team in the 20s.

In 1935, his number was retired and it became the first number to be retired in the history of pro football. Now, his number is the first to be un-retired.

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