New York Giants Draft Prospect: QB Jayden Daniels

Jayden Daniels is believed to be in play for the New York Giants at No. 6. Nick Falato breaks down his film.

Jayden Daniels / Mike Ehrmann/GettyImages

Jayden Daniels, QB

Height: 6’4
Weight: 210 lbs
Class: Senior
School: LSU
Stats

A former four-star recruit out of Cajon High School in San Bernardino, California, where he was the 5th ranked player out of California, the 1st-ranked dual-threat player, and the 35 ranked prospect in the 2019 recruiting cycle. Daniels initially attended Arizona State for three years.

He became the first true freshman quarterback to start for the Sun Devils after beating out Dillon Sterling-Cole in training camp for Herm Edwards. His time in Tempe, Arizona, ended, and Daniels took his talents to LSU for two years. Daniels was electrifying on his way to winning the Heisman in 2023.  

Along with the Heisman, Daniels won the Davey O’Brien Award, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, the AP Player of the Year Award, and the Manning Award, and he was a First-Team All-American. He was also a finalist for the Maxwell Award (the nation’s top player).He was an obvious selection for First-team All-SEC, while leading the FBS with 11.7 yards per pass attempt and 8.4 yards per rush (the only player to lead FBS in both in same season since at least 1996). He was also a team captain for LSU.

Daniels had two consecutive 1,000-plus rushing seasons with double-digit rushing touchdowns at LSU. He averaged 10.4 yards per carry in 2023 but also finished his college career with 19 fumbles. Daniels's development from Arizona State to Baton Rouge was night and day, but it was his 2023 campaign that solidified him as a top-ten draft pick. Daniels would have likely been a day-three pick if he entered the draft after his 2022 season.  

Daniels had full command of LSU’s offense. He helped with protections, identified pressure, and had contingency plans in place to take advantage of the defense.

Strengths

* Elite athlete - quick acceleration and incredible straight-line speed
* Explosive runner who erasers angles to make defenders silly
* The best-rushing quarterback with throwing skill we’ve seen in college football since Lamar Jackson
* Rare threat in open space with the football in his hand
* Good agility to make defenders miss at the tackle point
* Handled presnap responsibilities (frequently checked and helped set protections)
* Excellent football IQ - had full command of the offense
* Good decision-maker who did a good job protecting the football when passing
--Averaged a 1.6% turnover-worthy play percentage
--Had a 4.5% Big Time Throw Percentage
* Noticeably quicker processor in 2023 than before that
* Good rate of getting through progressions and finding open WRs
* Solid poise with elite toughness in the pocket
* Creative as a thrower with good navigation of the pocket
* Stays ready to pass when navigating the pocket
* Quick release of the football
* Capable of operating quick game concepts - will be a threat with RPO/Zone Read
* Identified pressure presnap - had a plan
* Displayed good accuracy in quick game concepts to throw away from defensive leverage
* Rare escapability to create plays that shouldn’t happen
* Does full-field reads and will find the backside dig
* Showed ability to throw with anticipation and good timing
* Good overall touch on vertical passes outside the numbers - allowed WRs to run underneath footballs
* Solid overall arm strength
* Solid overall touch when targeting the middle of the field
* When targeting the MOF, he did well on seam balls
* Has displayed the ability to attack defenses from the pocket
* Efficient as a passer vs. the blitz (74.4% completion rate, 20 TDs, 0 INTs)
* Good sense for high-side pressure - steps into pocket and quickly becomes a runner if necessary
* Solid job throwing hot vs. CB blitzes
* Proven ability to throw the football away from defenders in a location where only his WR can make a play on it (over shoulder on 9, away from defender’s leverage, etc.)
* Shows moments of precise ball placement vs. tight man coverage
* Incredibly tough competitor who, unfortunately, puts his body on the line far too frequently

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Weaknesses

* Thin frame - slender
* Footwork is inconsistent - extra steps that lead to timing issues showed up on tape
* Takes some of the biggest hits I’ve seen from a QB
* Reckless with his body - he must find a way to avoid contact and get down
* Suffered 133 sacks in college - 13.9% sack rate
* Had a career 24.5% pressure-to-sack rate
* Passed up layup throws for rush, which may not be as successful in the NFL
* Dropped his eyes more often than one would like under pressure (was still effective as a passer vs. the blitz)
* Doesn’t frequently target the middle of the field - 9.3% of collegiate dropbacks targeted between the numbers passed 10 yards
* Struggles to consistently thread the needle over the middle of the field
* Can be slow to trust MOF throws from the pocket
* Velocity isn’t the same as other top-5 quarterbacks but is solid
* Functional arm strength, but not as strong as many other top-5 type quarterbacks
* Accuracy can be inconsistent deep and to the flat
* Overall, isn’t consistently precise with his ball placement
* Only one year of elite production
* Will turn 24 during his rookie season

Summary

Jayden Daniels is a true dual-threat quarterback with full command of LSU’s offense and a high football IQ to set protections and optimize each play for his team. His dynamic rushing ability is his calling card and sets a very high floor for Daniels; his ceiling is also sky-high due to the strides he’s made as a passer, his toughness, and his good decision-making as a thrower. 

Daniels doesn’t have a huge NFL arm, but it’s functional. He has adequate velocity but can make all the throws in the NFL, and he did so in college when the hashes were further apart. He can short-change some deep balls, and he can add extra steps in his drops that lead to footwork-inspired inaccuracies on seemingly simple passes to the flat. There were times when he threw with anticipation over the middle of the field - he did this well on seam passes - but did seem reluctant to consistently let it rip to that area of the field. Overall, he has an NFL arm, but not the type of NFL arms that are typically selected in the top 10 of NFL drafts, and not the type of NFL arm that will rank in the top 10 of NFL arms.

Daniels had a 14.1% scramble rate in college, which could be interpreted as positive since his most dynamic self is on the move, making magic happen with his legs. However, that’s an incredibly high scramble rate, and it’s combined with a slender frame, a propensity to take devastating hits, and an inconsistent ability to judge when to rush. Daniels isn’t purely a run-first type of quarterback, but he showed a tendency to drop his eyes under pressure and find the advantageous rushing path.

It’s difficult to envision Daniels playing in the NFL as he did last season. The hits he took on tape were WILD, to say the least. He must find a way to protect himself as a runner. Still, he’s capable of operating a quick - rhythmic - passing offense, will do well in a spread system, and he’s not afraid to throw the football deep (Led FBS with 11.5 yards per attempt). His presence as a rusher will dictate game plans for the defense, and he’ll be one of the more exciting players to watch evolve over the next few seasons.

GRADE: 6.62

Nick Falato's Draft Grade Chart / Nick Falato

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