Commanders’ Jayden Daniels Lands High Spot in QB Rankings

Over the years, there have been countless quarterbacks who have entered the NFL and had an immediate impact on their team. That said, few have burst on the scene the way Jayden Daniels did last season. Following an impressive rookie campaign, the rising star finds himself in the same breath as his top counterparts.

After drafting him No. 2 overall, the Washington Commanders wasted no time handing the reins over to Daniels. This proved to be a wise decision, as he quickly altered the trajectory of the franchise. In the span of one season, he turned Washington from a rebuilding team to a budding contender in the NFC.

In the regular season, Daniels threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns en route to leading the Commanders to a 12-5 record. Things didn’t end there, as Washington punched their ticket to the postseason. It was there that Daniels proved he is on a path towards stardom in the NFL.

Led by strong play from Daniels, Washington managed to pull off multiple upsets in the playoffs. They made it all the way to the NFC Championship game, where their Cinderella run came to an end at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles. While they were unable to reach the Super Bowl, Daniels and the Commanders still made a huge statement to the rest of the league.

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After just one season, Daniels has managed to reach the upper tier of NFL quarterbacks. Earlier this week, ESPN put out the results from a poll of executives, scouts, and coaches about who the top 10 QBs are in the game right now. Daniels landed in the top five, one spot behind multi-time MVP Lamar Jackson.

“The kid can read coverages, throw with accuracy and touch to all levels of the field,” said an NFL coordinator who prepared for Daniels last season. “Just as dangerous as Lamar and Josh Allen with his legs and has a clutch factor to him because his team already believes that if he has the ball with a chance to win, he’s going to find a way. If he repeats anything close to his rookie year, he’s no lower than No. 3 on this list next year.”

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Daniels being ranked so high is a testament to the lofty expectations he’s facing heading into year two. Following what he showed as a rookie and the Commanders improving the roster around him, the pressure is on to deliver big results in 2025.

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