How Can Washington Commanders Use NFL Draft Target Jayden Daniels' Talents? 'RPO Game!'

The Washington Commanders have been linked with LSU's Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick and ESPN's Bill Barnwell knows how the franchise can get the best out of the Heisman trophy winner.

Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels 5 throws a pass as the LSU Tigers take on Texas A&M in Tiger / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA

The Washington Commanders and who they will select at No. 2 overall in the upcoming NFL Draft has captivated the nation. With Caleb Williams a near certainty to be selected by the Chicago Bears at No. 1, the Commanders' selection is more up in the air.

With North Carolina's Drake Maye, LSU's Jayden Daniels and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy all touted as the next quarterbacks to go off the board, the Commanders will have their pick of the bunch.

Daniels to Washington is a popular choice for most NFL mock drafts, but if he does come to the Nation's capital, how can Kliff Kingsbury get the best out of the 2023 Heisman trophy winner?

ESPN's Bill Barnwell knows what he wants to see.

“If he goes to Washington I want to see the RPO game, I want to see some maybe quick one-read play,” Barnwell said on NFL Live. “Then I want to see them get him out to create out of structure. He can create in structure; he's not just a trick-play guy. But he can create out of structure so I think I want to get him there more often than you would with other kinds of quarterbacks. Give him the RPO game, give him a half-field read, give him stuff where, if it's not there, trust his ability to run with the football, trust his ability to create out of structure, put him in the places where he succeeds best.”

Barnwell's theory is solid, and the key to a good RPO (run, pass option) play is to have running backs that have a serious threat on the ground.

Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels 5 throws a pass as the LSU Tigers take on Texas A&M in Tiger / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA

The Commanders have Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler, and both can be successful if given the chance. Robinson is the bruiser, while Ekeler can be the lightning-quick runner out of the backfield.

If we add in Daniels' threat on the ground as well (1,134 yards, 10 touchdowns in 2023), the Commanders could use RPO to create some "easy" plays for their young quarterback. Washington also has Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Dyami Brown, and new tight end Zach Ertz to be options in the passing game as well.

With Kingsbury's experience working with dual-threat quarterbacks (Kyler Murray and Caleb Williams), getting Daniels into positions to help him succeed feels like a relatively easy thing to do.

Of course, having a plan for Daniels and then executing it are two different things entirely. But there does appear to be a way to get the most out of Daniels early in Washington, and with Kingsbury's hands on the wheel, perhaps the rookie's first NFL season might be a productive one.