Heisman Winner Jayden Daniels: Patriots Potential; Succeeding Tom Brady?

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels overcame several challenges to lift the Heisman Trophy but his greatest could lie on the potential road ahead with the New England Patriots.

The legend of Jayden Daniels was born on the bayou but can flourish in Foxborough.

Daniels, the former Louisiana State quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner, is set to get an early phone call during the opening stanza of the NFL Draft on April 25, Time will tell if it's the New England Patriots who dial, as the team is reportedly savoring the plethora of passing prospects sitting atop the draft board. 

He who takes over the New England passing mantle has a lot to live up to: Tom Brady's accomplishments remain worshipped to this day, as nostalgics were perhaps the one thing that got Patriot supporters through last year's four-win slog that closed the door on the Bill Belichick era. But Daniels was more than happy to lean into the expectations that path would carry, addressing them head-on at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

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"It would be dope,” Daniels said, per Nick Goss of NBC Sports Boston. “Obviously, growing up and seeing what Tom Brady did there, six Super Bowls, that’s tough to live up to, but it would be dope to come in there and see the success they had and help them get back on that track.”

Daniels could be part of a headlining passing trio that opens the upcoming draft alongside Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. The most recent Heisman Trophy would be shipping up to Boston if the Patriots welcomed him in at No. 3, as Daniels is the latest honoree after scoring 50 total touchdowns in his second and final season in Baton Rouge.

Daniels' dual-threat abilities have drawn comparisons to another recent trophy hoister, namely newly-reinstated NFL MVP Lamar Jackson. The future rookie expressed gratitude for the comparison, calling Jackson "the GOAT of this running and throwing."

But what does Daniels himself, lauded for his massive talent but perhaps kept out of the draft's opening slot for his relatively small size (6-3, 185 lbs.), bring to the table? With questions about Brady and Jackson tackled and taken, Daniels embarked on a personal pitch that saw him chalk up his frame to divine intervention and a sense of self-confidence perhaps lacking among most first-year passers.

“I embrace who I am. I’m not the biggest guy, but it works for me," Daniels said. "I can't change it. God blessed me with this frame for a reason, so why go out there and complain about it?”

Which Prospects Have Patriots Met With at NFL Combine?

Should New England opt to dip its toe into the passing prospect pool, the thrower selected would be the highest on the Patriot ledgers since 1993, when Drew Bledsoe was named the top pick out of Washington State.