Kirby Smart gives early impression of Jayden Daniels

Georgia’s No. 1 ranked defense hasn’t skipped a beat. They’ve survived after all the losses they suffered from the NFL Draft a year ago and have locked down some of the nation’s best teams in the 2022 season. Now, before they make their second straight playoff appearance, they have one test left as they’ll face LSU in the SEC Championship Game.

The head of the snake for the Tigers during the back stretch of the season has been quarterback Jayden Daniels. If the Bulldogs want to come out with the SEC title this go around, Kirby Smart says it will take their best effort and preparation this week to slow down a player in Daniels that he shared a lot of praise for.

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“Extremely, extremely athletic. Smooth. Great release. He’s quick and he’s fast. There’s a difference. He’s both,” said Smart. “But still early on for us. We’re trying to prepare for these guys and watch tape. Very impressive composure and demeanor.”

Daniels has aged perfectly during the year for LSU. He finished the regular season with 2,566 yards, 15 touchdowns, and only two interceptions with a 77.8 QBR, which was good for 18th overall in the nation. Beyond completing 68.6% of his passes, he also rushed for 824 yards and 11 more touchdowns.

Smart didn’t want to compare Daniels to anyone since he’s such a unique player. He just sees a quarterback who has only gotten better as the year has progressed and, now, he’s the Bulldog’s problem to deal with.

“I don’t really like doing comparisons. He’s extremely athletic, he’s got a great arm, great release. He’s got a lot of talented players around him,” Smart said. “I remember watching him play (and) knew he was going to be a good player. They’ve invested in him. You talk about significantly improving from game one to now? He is unbelievably improved. They’ve done a great job with him.”

Bryce Young torched the Georgia defense a year ago on the very same stage they’ll be on this Saturday. His performance cost the Bulldogs their undefeated year and the conference crown. That alone should motivate them to not let Daniels do the same thing. If Georgia neutralizes Daniels early and for the duration of the matchup, their chances of avenging last year’s loss in Atlanta will only improve.