(Editor’s be aware: This story was initially revealed on Could 3, 2024, after the Commanders chosen Daniels No. 2 general within the 2024 NFL draft.)
ASHBURN, Va. — With the Chicago Bears on the clock holding the primary decide within the 2024 NFL draft, Washington Commanders normal supervisor Adam Peters gathered scouts, coaches, executives and different Commanders personnel within the crew’s makeshift battle room to share the announcement many had lengthy anticipated.
Many within the group had anticipated they would choose LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. However no person knew for sure. And now, after telling members of the possession group individually earlier within the day, Peters made it official.
He instructed them, in line with one particular person within the room, they’re getting a “younger man who loves soccer” and would assist them “change this franchise without end.”
Then, in line with the supply, Peters lastly mentioned: “We’re going with Jayden.”
The room erupted with cheers, clapping and high-fives.
“It was like a room of pleasure,” mentioned an individual who was there. “It put all people comfy.”
The announcement ended months of hypothesis from these outdoors of Peters’ interior circle about who Washington, with the No. 2 decide, would faucet to entrance a brand new period of Commanders soccer. Although many inside indicators pointed to Daniels, there have been nonetheless questions earlier than Peters, main his first draft as a normal supervisor, knowledgeable the room of his decide.
He appreciated Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy greater than presumed second selection Drake Maye, the North Carolina QB, in line with a number of sources. However Daniels — due partly to his expertise, polish, resilience and game-changing capacity — grew to become the group’s prime decide early of their analysis and by no means misplaced floor.
Whereas each No. 2 decide is of big significance, this decide might alter the trajectory of a franchise attempting to determine a brand new identification beneath proprietor Josh Harris — who bought the crew final summer time — first-year Commanders coach Dan Quinn and first-time GM Peters. Washington is making an attempt to get past greater than twenty years of futility beneath earlier proprietor Dan Snyder, and fixing its decades-long quarterback downside with a long-term reply would go a great distance towards carrying out that aim. Washington has began 33 quarterbacks since final profitable the Tremendous Bowl after the 1991 season. The Commanders began eight prior to now 4 years and no quarterback has served because the No. 1 man for greater than three years since Mark Rypien from 1989-93.
They wanted to ensure that they had the proper man. In the long run, their course of led them again to the place they started: Daniels.
“We knew it was Jayden for some time,” Peters mentioned. “It might have taken rather a lot for it to not be Jayden. The entire constructing I’d say was unanimous on that one. It is simple to see why.”
ALL ALONG, MULTIPLE SOURCES mentioned Daniels was the man with whom they have been smitten. Somebody wanted to knock him off the mountaintop; nobody did.
Earlier than becoming a member of the Commanders in January, Peters spent the 2023 common season because the assistant normal supervisor for the San Francisco 49ers — a crew that was not trying to draft a quarterback within the first spherical — and had not begun learning movie of the 2024 QB class.
In line with a number of sources in Washington, Peters was additionally excessive on McCarthy. Others within the constructing have been, too. The 2023 nationwide champion was environment friendly, had a powerful arm and moved properly. Washington’s decision-makers additionally liked that he was personable.
Many within the NFL mentioned McCarthy had untapped potential due to Michigan’s run-heavy offensive strategy, however many within the group thought he wanted extra expertise. Washington additionally closely scouted Maye in addition to Michael Penix Jr. All 4 quarterbacks visited Washington earlier than the draft. In the long run, McCarthy was second on its checklist of choices.
It didn’t take lengthy to develop a powerful opinion of Daniels as soon as crew officers began watching his movie after the season. In actual fact, one supply mentioned, the sport that set Washington on the Daniels’ path was LSU’s season-opening 45-24 loss to Florida State. Daniels threw for 346 yards and ran for 64 extra, however one Commanders supply mentioned, along with his polish and arm expertise, they appreciated how he responded after struggling a number of large hits.
There have been questions on Daniels: Although he measured 6-foot-3 5/8 and weighed 210 kilos at his professional day, some puzzled in regards to the large hits he’d taken in video games, owing partly to his operating capacity. Would he defend himself properly sufficient to final within the NFL? His excessive pressure-to-sack fee was additionally seen as a priority within the analytics neighborhood. He was sacked 24.5% of the time when pressured in his 5 seasons (three at Arizona State, two at LSU). At LSU, he went from 30.8 his first season (2022) to twenty.2 final yr. His profession quantity was increased than the opposite prospects within the first spherical. Additionally, Daniels tried 68 passes between the hashes, the fifty fifth most within the NCAA final yr.
Most evaluators within the NFL pegged USC’s 2022 Heisman winner Caleb Williams as one of the best quarterback due to his dynamic capacity and excellence on off-schedule performs. He was thought-about the apparent selection for Chicago at No. 1.
Peters, in the meantime, mentioned he couldn’t imagine how good Daniels was when he lastly watched the tape.
“The best way he can course of, the best way he can see the sphere, the best way he goes via his reads, the best way he delivers [the ball] on time. He is one of the best deep-ball thrower within the draft,” Peters mentioned, “and that is even earlier than we begin watching him run and the best way he runs he simply takes your soul as a protection. You suppose you bought him after which abruptly, he rips off a 40-yard run. And that is in opposition to the SEC, one of the best of one of the best.”
Peters mentioned Washington by no means thought-about buying and selling again within the draft, although he later instructed Huge 100 Radio in Washington that they obtained just one provide and “it did not transfer the needle.” However although all indicators pointed to drafting Daniels, Peters was decided to complete the analysis course of — simply in case.
On the scouting mix in February, Peters instructed an assembled group that included offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Harris, entrance workplace guide Bob Myers and Quinn “one thing has to occur to not be Jayden.”
Through the crew’s 15-minute interview session with Daniels on the mix, these within the room mentioned the laid-back Daniels was not oozing pleasure.
Till they turned on the sport movie.
“He sat up in his chair and he was dialed in,” one particular person within the room mentioned. “He is aware of his stuff. It was his physique language. He perked up.”
One other particular person mentioned, “You may see Jayden simply lights up when the tape comes on. You possibly can’t faux that. He simply goes, ‘Yeah, let’s speak soccer.’ It was genuine.”
After drafting Daniels final Thursday, Peters referenced different promoting factors that led Washington to the choice, together with his use of digital actuality, which Daniels claims helped him enhance by “70 to 80%” for his remaining yr.
On the mix, Quinn revealed his need for Daniels — maybe unintentionally — one crew supply mentioned. Whereas taking part in a phrase affiliation sport throughout an look on D.C.-based 106.7 The Fan, Quinn referred to Daniels as a “game-changer.” No different quarterback, together with Williams, obtained such reward.
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels’ prospect profile
Try a number of the prime faculty highlights from new Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.
DANIELS HAD ADVOCATES outdoors of Washington as properly. Former Arizona State coach Herm Edwards, who recruited Daniels and coached him for 3 years, instructed Peters that Daniels “was a person; do not let his youth idiot you.” One supply mentioned San Francisco receiver Brandon Aiyuk, a detailed buddy of Daniels’, sang his praises to Peters. And San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan, with whom Peters labored for seven years, additionally gave Daniels a glowing evaluate.
From that Florida State movie on, nothing modified Washington’s opinion of Daniels. The Commanders spoke to individuals from Arizona State, the place Daniels performed three years, and LSU. One supply checked out his highschool transcripts. They requested about his character.
Peters additionally appreciated that Daniels had the passcode modified at an LSU facility so he might enter after hours for extra work. He additionally organized 5 a.m. exercises along with his receivers; Washington’s officers have been impressed he might cajole his teammates to attend at that hour. That, one supply mentioned, resonated as a lot as something with Peters.
The bins saved getting checked in Daniels’ favor.
However the curiosity nonetheless went again to his on-field exploits. Like Peters, Quinn mentioned Washington appreciated the extent of competitors Daniels performed within the SEC, and the sophistication of the defenses he confronted.
“They’d seems to be and various things that Jayden has been capable of actually course of issues rapidly,” Quinn, a former defensive coordinator, mentioned. “He has an actual decision-making course of that is quick.”
Quinn additionally appreciated his expertise. Daniels performed in 55 video games over 5 seasons and began 26 extra video games than McCarthy and 29 greater than Maye.
“That is an enormous deal, man, as a result of they’ve seen the s— , they’ve made the error,” Quinn mentioned. “You do not wish to take someone that does not have plenty of snaps.”
They seen his switch to LSU as a optimistic.
“You may make a case and say he is already needed to undergo a brand new system and new individuals and new experiences,” Quinn mentioned.
Daniels felt the Commanders’ love and, after his top-30 go to ended on April 17, Daniels’ agent, Ron Butler, mentioned Daniels excitedly instructed him, “I am Quinn’s man.”
DURING HIS PRIVATE airplane experience dwelling after his information convention in Washington, Daniels, surrounded by household and mates, spent an hour of the journey pretending to face on the line of scrimmage, calling out checks or performs that he already knew from the Commanders’ playbook.
At his introductory information convention, Daniels mentioned he felt “no stress” to vary Washington’s decades-long historical past of struggles at quarterback, however he is aware of the expectations. Daniels mentioned he doesn’t take without any consideration the duty of main a struggling franchise again to prominence. He additionally doesn’t assume he shall be simply given the beginning job to open the season — although he says he was delivered to Washington “for a motive.”
Daniels’ expertise and talent give him an opportunity to begin instantly, a number of sources mentioned earlier than the draft.
“When that point comes, when he is prepared, then that is once we’ll do it. However there is no timeline on that,” Quinn mentioned.
If Daniels doesn’t begin straight away, Washington would go together with Marcus Mariota. Nonetheless, each Quinn and Peters have mentioned this offseason they wish to depend on a powerful protection and run sport to scale back the burden on a rookie quarterback. In addition they added veteran offensive gamers, corresponding to tight finish Zach Ertz and operating again Austin Ekeler, to minimize the necessity for Daniels to be the chief of the unit straight away.
Quite a few NFL coaches imagine Kingsbury’s offense shall be good for Daniels. The previous Arizona Cardinals coach has expertise with quarterbacks who can run. Kingsbury likes to make use of run-pass choices and he needs to assault down the sphere. Daniels mentioned he appreciated what Kingsbury needed to say throughout their conferences, however he has additionally watched his offense over time.
“Simply the artistic thoughts that he has on the offensive aspect,” Daniels mentioned of Kingsbury. “How he can assault defenses. Clearly, what he was doing over Arizona, you recognize, with [quarterback] Kyler [Murray] and having success. I wish to go on the market and I wish to achieve success, but it surely comes with placing the work in every day.”
“He wasn’t handed something,” Peters mentioned. “He is earned the whole lot he is received.”
That included being the No. 2 decide within the draft. And on that airplane experience dwelling, he received again to work. The Commanders, in the meantime, are happy with their luck, figuring out what it might imply for the franchise.
“We could not be happier,” Peters mentioned.