Jayden Daniels explains ease in his adjustment to the NFL

Jayden Daniels looked like the next level came naturally to him in his rookie season with the Washington Commanders.

Daniels, who just won 2024 Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Year and is the favorite to win AP Rookie of the Year at the NFL Honors tonight, spoke about the transition to the pros while on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ in New Orleans on Thursday. He said it was a number of things – starting with his college experience having played in 55 games over five seasons at Arizona State and LSU.

“I think it’s the amount of football played in college,” Daniels began.

Daniels spoke on the job that he and the staff did to be ready for anything. His coaches gave him the resources and, from there, he took that information to best understand defenses in the NFL.

“I just think, like, the coaching staff, what (Dan Quinn) and all them did? Like, I just think they made that transition so easy, comfortable,” said Daniels. “I think just how I studied. Like, my preparation? Like, obviously, my IQ. l pride myself on having a high IQ. So, just going from there, it was like, ‘alright, how can I take my game to another level?’ Because I know the defense is going to, and coordinators are going to try to mess with my eyes and stuff like that and get me to make mistakes.”

Finally, Daniels said it’s just who he is as a player and person. He felt like nothing gets to him so why would it start with his snaps as a pro?

“That’s just who I am,” said Daniels. “Like, I’m just cool, calm. Like, whatever, like, on a daily basis.”

Daniels adjusted right away after being the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He completed 69% of his passes for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 891 yards and six more scores. Those were in the upper echelon of passing stats in the league while also being top-three in rushing yards and touchdowns for quarterbacks. With that, it’s already considered to be one of best seasons ever for a rookie quarterback. It also earned Daniels the recognition as a Pro Bowler among the honors for Rookie of the Year.

Then, in the playoffs, Daniels led the Commanders (14-6) to the NFC Championship within one game of Super Bowl LIX. In wins over Tampa Bay and Detroit and their eliminating loss at Philadelphia, Daniels completed 65.8% of his throws for postseason-leading passing yards of 822 along with five touchdowns and one pick.

Daniels took no time at all to go from the winner of the Heisman Trophy in the NCAA to one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. That means he could only be that much better going into year two in the nation’s capital as well as the rest of his career in the league.