Jayden Daniels, Joe Burrow headline LSU finalists for 2024-25 NFL Awards

The finalists for the NFL’s eight top awards voted on by the Associated Press — including MVP, Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year honors — were revealed this week.

A combined five former LSU stars, headlined by its two recent Heisman quarterbacks, are finalists for a combined four different awards.

And a former Tigers coordinator is among the finalists for the league’s Assistant Coach of the Year award.

Here’s a look at all six individuals, their seasons and their odds to potentially claim the awards when the winners are announced Feb. 6.

Jayden Daniels (Offensive Rookie of the Year)

The 2023 Heisman-winning quarterback is the overwhelming favorite to win the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award, which would make him LSU’s second winner in the past four years. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver won the 2021 award. Daniels has Washington in the NFC Championship Game this weekend for the first time since January 1992 with his historic debut campaign as its biggest individual highlight.

Daniels has now completed 377 of his 546 passes (69.0%) for 4,135 yards, 29 touchdowns and nine interceptions through the regular season and two playoff games and rushed 177 times for 978 yards and six scores. His 14th win this past week matched Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh, 2004) for most wins by a rookie quarterback. He surpasses Robert Griffin III (Washington, 2012) during the regular season for most rushing yardage by a rookie quarterbacks and last week surpassed Andrew Luck (Indianapolis, 2012) for most total yards. And he’s within 527 yards of Luck’s rookie passing record for the regular season and playoffs combined.

Daniels’ fellow finalists for the award include Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (Georgia), Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (Oregon), New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers (LSU) and Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (LSU).

Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr. (Off. Rookie of the Year)

Daniels’ dynamic receiving duo of fellow first-round picks join him as finalists for the Offensive Rookie of the Year, giving LSU three of the top five candidates. Nabers broke the NFL’s record for most receptions by a rookie wide receiver with 109 — though Bowers, the Raiders’ tight end, then surpassed him at 112 to end the season. The Comeaux and Southside product finished with 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns. Thomas meanwhile finished third in the league with 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns on 87 catches — Jacksonville rookie records across the board.

Joe Burrow (three awards)

LSU’s 2019 Heisman-winning quarterback is a finalist for three different awards: Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year. He completed 460 of his 652 passes (70.6%) for NFL-leading 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns with just nine interceptions after having his 2023 season ended short by a serious wrist injury.

Burrow has been considered a slight betting favorite to win the Comeback award over a field that includes Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Arnold, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins and New England Patriots corner Christian Gonzalez. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen have been considered the favorites for the MVP award over Burrow, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff. And Barkley has been considered the favorite for Offensive Player of the Year award over Burrow, Jackson, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry.

Ja’Marr Chase (Offensive Player of the Year)

The record-setting LSU pass-catcher, a Louisiana native out of Archbishop Rummel, is the lone receiver in the mix for either MVP or Offensive Player of the Year after his prolific season in Cincinnati. Chase led the league in every major statistical category with 127 receptions for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns to become the youngest player since the Super Bowl era to win the vaunted Triple Crown.

Joe Brady (Assistant Coach of the Year)

The Tigers’ former passing game coordinator for their 2019 national championship with Burrow, Chase and company is among the finalists for the league’s Assistant Coach of the Year honors. The Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator joins the Detroit Lions’ duo of Ben Johnson (O.C.) and Aaron Glenn (D.C.), Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores as finalists for the award, the winner of which the league will announce Feb. 6. Johnson was announced as the Pro Football Writers Association’s top assistant Friday.