Dan Quinn: Jayden Daniels has 'humility' of young player, 'swagger and calmness' of veteran

After overhauling the front office and coaching staff, the Washington Commanders also have a new face coming in at quarterback. Jayden Daniels is preparing for his first training camp after going No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he’s drawing rave reviews from head coach Dan Quinn.

Quinn spoke highly of how Daniels carried himself through Washington’s offseason program before training camp begins next month. The former LSU star has plenty of experience under his belt from his time at Arizona State and in Baton Rouge, and that’s been apparent since the Commanders selected him in the draft.

Now, Daniels is in the same spot as the rest of the team, trying to learn Kliff Kingsbury’s system. Considering he adjusted to a new scheme when he transferred to LSU – where he won the Heisman Trohpy in 2023 – Quinn said the rookie is handling everything well and helping lead that charge.

“I said it recently and I think this sums it up great – he has the humility and kind of the hunger of the young player,” Quinn told Jim Rome. “‘I’ve got a lot to prove, I’ve still got a lot to learn,’ but he also has the swagger and calmness of a veteran player. I think those 50-plus starts from ASU and LSU, that seems to come about. You see him on the field and in the huddle, that’s where he’s at his best.

“He worked really hard to learn the system. I would say, probably one advantage of starting something new, all the other players haven’t been in the system three, four, five years where they just knew it inside-out. There was a collective learning going on together. He was right there at the front of it.”

Of course, Jayden Daniels isn’t the only new quarterback in the nation’s capital. Marcus Mariota is also on board after signing a one-year, $6 million deal. He’s providing not only NFL experience to help Daniels adjust to the league, but is also serving as a mentor with a similar background and skillset.

Mariota also went No. 2 overall after winning the Heisman Trophy at Oregon. Since entering the league in 2015, he spent time with the Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons and, most recently, the Philadelphia Eagles.

That experience will allow Mariota to play a key role in Daniels’ development. In fact, according to Quinn, the two are already hitting it off.

“Marcus Mariota’s been excellent here, too,” Quinn said. “He was another guy – second overall pick, Heisman Trophy winner. To see that connection between he and Jayden, that’s been pretty cool to be a part of, as well.”