Last season, Jayden Daniels helped turn the Washington Commanders into one of the biggest surprise success stories in the NFL. Heading into his second year in the pros, the hype for the Commanders quarterback continues to reach new heights.
When Washington drafted Daniels No. 2 overall, they hoped to land a QB who could be a pillar for the franchise moving forward. It did not take long for him to step up and show that he is willing and able of taking on such a responsibility.
As a rookie, Daniels led the Commanders to 12 wins in the regular season while throwing for 3,568 and 25 touchdowns. This was good enough to get Washington into the postseason, where they’d pull off multiple upsets en route to reaching the NFC Championship game. Their fun would come to an end there though, as they go on to be eliminated by the eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles.
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After what he displayed as a rookie, many are ready to crown Daniels as the next big thing in the NFL. Among those who is an avid supporter of the Commanders star is Andrew Hawkins. While on ESPN’s “Get Up” this week, the former wide receiver crowned Daniels the best QB in the NFC right now.
“We all know the NFL is about trajectory and I don’t think anyone has a higher trajectory than Jayden Daniels coming into this season,” Hawkins said. “Coming into last season, we weren’t raving about the weapons or the coaching, but he flipped that franchise and turned them into immediate contenders.”
There is no denying that Daniels is on the fast track to stardom in the NFL. However, dubbing him the best QB in the conference might be a bit premature. With only one season under his belt, he still has more to prove. When looking at other possible candidates for such a title, one doesn’t have to look further than Daniels’ own division. Jalen Hurts is fresh off being Super Bowl MVP, and Dak Prescott is returning from injury. Both are high-level talents who also belong in such a discussion.
Based on his results in year one, Daniels very well could become one of the league’s top QBs in the not-so-distant future. Especially considering that Washington adding more weapons around him this offseason.
Throughout the years, there have been plenty of cases where young QBs have had a shaky sophomore campaign after shining as a rookie. Heading into the 2025 season, Daniels will look to avoid joining such a group.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
