Where Commanders' Jayden Daniels Stood Among Rookie Performers

The Washington Commanders rookie signal caller was superb this season.

Dec 29, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) looks on while leaving the field after defeating the Atlanta Falcons at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images / Amber Searls-Imagn Images

This weekend will bring the return of the Washington Commanders to the postseason.

Last season, the franchise posted a 4-13 record and continued a cycle of mediocrity. Josh Harris took over as the club's owner and he spent this past offseason cleaning the house. The front office, coaching staff and roster got a huge makeover, which allowed for a new change of culture.

Still, the ownership had to nail their hires, and the coaching staff and roster changes needed to be positive. They hit, too. Dan Quinn helped the team to a 12-5 record in his first season, but, more importantly, he built a winning culture.

The roster turnover helped, too, but one move in particular reigns above all. The Commanders drafted Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The LSU product and former Heisman Trophy winner had plenty of potential, but it was unsure how his inaugural season would play out.

The 23-year-old quarterback threw for 3,568 passing yards and 25 passing touchdowns with nine interceptions, though he added 891 rushing yards on 148 attempts, scoring an additional six touchdowns.

Where did Daniels stand among the rest of the rookies in the NFL, though? CBS Sports ranked every first-round rookie from the 2024 season. The Commanders quarterback ranked just above Brock Bowers, earning the top spot among the first-round rookies.

The future NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year was the heartbeat of the vast franchise revitalization in the nation's capital. Daniels delivered the football with supreme accuracy all season -- not just by rookie standards -- played with calmness in the pocket beyond his years, and finished second to Lamar Jackson with 864 yards on the ground," CBS Sports wrote. "Daniels wonderfully blended a lightning-quick release with exquisite creativity after holding the football on off-structure plays en route to a 12-win regular season for Washington and the No. 1 spot here."

The Commanders are certainly in good hands. As they navigate being a playoff team and eventual contention, having security under center is absolutely massive. Every NFL team needs to have a reliable signal-caller, and Washington has exactly that.

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Stick with CommanderGameday and the Locked On Commanders podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders throughout the 2024 season.

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