Grading Jayden Daniels’ landing spot in the 2024 NFL Draft

Jayden Daniels’ supporting cast on the Commanders is certainly not on the same level that Caleb Williams gets with the Bears, but it’s still pretty solid. Two big-time wide receivers (Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson), a one-two punch in the backfield (Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson), and a solid pairing at tight end (Zach Ertz and Ben Sinnott).

McLaurin, who is looking to crack 1,000 receiving yards for the fifth consecutive season, is the clear-cut WR1 for Daniels, which will help give him a reliable target. The fact that McLaurin has survived abysmal quarterback play in Washington shows that the Daniels-McLaurin pairing could be something special in 2024.

Dotson is coming off a disappointing season last year that saw him underutilized and relegated to a secondary role. Hopefully, with a revamped offensive approach he can succeed. Plus, without Curtis Samuel, there should be more targets coming his way.

The wild card here is Ben Sinnott, the second-round rookie tight end from Kansas State. Sinnott enters a fantastic situation, even with Ertz in the fold, and is on the same timeline as Daniels, which makes him an interesting weapon in the offense.

Year 1 expectations for NFL Draft No. 2 pick

Jayden Daniels will be expected to shoulder a massive load in Washington, starting next season. With offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury now leading the offense, could a pro-college hybrid offensive scheme be in the cards?

If Daniels has a scheme tailored to his skills, the sky’s the limit for the dual-threat QB. Kingsbury has plenty of experience working with superstar QBs, having had both Kyler Murray and Caleb Williams under his wing in college.

Turnovers could be an issue for Daniels, especially with Washington likely playing from behind a good chunk of games. If Daniels is forced into losing situations, then double-digit interceptions are on the table.

His rushing potential is what makes him a total wild card, as he ran for over 1,000 yards in his final season at LSU, and found the end zone 10+ times in each of his final two seasons. Taking care of the ball and keeping his body out of harm’s way will be key to playing a full season, something Daniels struggled with at times in college.

2024 Stat Projections – 3,753 passing yards, 17 TDs, 12 INTs, 583 rushing yards, 7 rushing TDs

Fantasy football impact

Williams may be looked at as the best QB in this year’s class, but Daniels has the tools to become the best QB based on his ceiling. His rushing abilities alone make him one of the most exciting QBs drafted in the past few seasons, and hopefully the Commanders can unlock that right out of the gate.

Weapons-wise, Daniels is set up well in year one. McLaurin and Dotson are an above-average WR pairing, and Sinnott could develop into Daniels’ trusted safety valve. All of his weapons will have question marks to start the year, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see one of them, at a minimum, to take off as Daniels’ trusted target.

In a perfect outcome, Daniels is able to (safely) lean into his rushing game to help balance out his passing work, settling in the top-15 QBs and scratching QB1 territory all season. But if the offense falters early on in the season and struggles to get up to speed, Daniels might have a difficult go of things until his feet get off the ground.

Final Jayden Daniels landing spot grade

Washington needed an injection of talent into an offense that has struggled for far too long. While Drake Maye may have been the more pro-ready prospect at this point, Daniels offers a ceiling that no other prospect could touch in the 2024 NFL Draft.

There have been prospects that have entered the league with a super-high ceiling that have failed to meet expectations, and Daniels certainly could fall into that category too. But the situation that Washington has created for him and his supporting cast gives him more than just a fighting chance at succeeding.

If Daniels hits, then Washington has the biggest piece in place for the next seven-plus seasons. And if that happens, then it is in the realm of possibilities that the Commanders could actually compete for a playoff spot within the next two-plus seasons.

Grade: A-