Jayden Daniels' Draft Night Position Could Shock The World
By Peter Andrisani (The Mock Draft Guy)
Every time draft season rolls around, I feel like there is always 1 quarterback prospect that gets severely slept on. This class is funny, you could make a legitimate argument that 6 quarterbacks could be selected in the first round this year. Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr, JJ McCarthy, Bo Nix, and the focal point of today's prospect profile, LSU’s Jayden Daniels. What makes Jayden Daniels so intriguing as a prospect?
STRENGTHS
Jayden Daniels brings one of the most unique skill sets to the quarterback position in the entire country. He’s got a long, lean frame at 6’4 and 210 pounds, he also reportedly runs a 4.5 flat forty-yard dash. Good enough for the 97th percentile for the position. I don’t think we are giving Daniels the credit he deserves for his phenomenal 2023 season until now.
Daniels has the highest QBR in the nation, at 93.1
My biggest knock on Daniels from last year was his reluctance to throw the ball downfield. He was essentially a checkdown merchant, with 51% of his throws coming between 0-9 yards from the Line of scrimmage. This season, Daniels is averaging an absurd 11.3 yards per attempt, up almost 4 yards from last season.
Daniels has impressive and somewhat surprising arm strength, allowing him to target all three levels of the field with ease. Daniels demonstrates a quick, compact release, especially on short and intermediate throws, and his mechanics don’t fail him on log throws deep down the field either. Daniels displays expertise in throwing on the run, maintaining focus on downfield targets, and delivering accurate throws even across his body, while that’s not necessarily recommended. Possibly my favorite aspect of Daniel’s game is his sound decision-making ability, distinguishing between moments to be aggressive, and when to opt for check-downs.
Daniels has Outstanding running ability, particularly on QB-run-designed plays. He Controls game tempo with QB power, counter, and draw plays. In the open field, Daniels is incredibly elusive, and a nightmare to try to size up and tackle. Daniels exhibits high proficiency in pocket maneuvering, evading pressure effortlessly, and leveraging vision to find escape lanes for big-time running plays.
Finally, Daniels brings great leadership qualities with him. He exudes great confidence in his ability and in his teammates, which is incredibly important in the translation to the NFL Level.
WEAKNESSES
Daniels, like every other prospect, comes with areas he can improve on as well. Daniels can continue to aspire to be more crisp with his precision and timing. His accuracy and ball placement can be erratic, leaving yards and plays on the field. If you're able to box Daniels into the pocket and force him to work from there, it does feel like the passing becomes less about driving throws, and he’s “aiming” at targets at times. There’s no doubt he can shine outside of the structure, but can he continue to develop precision within the structure, too?
There are too many instances where Daniels will expose himself to big hits trying to make a big play. They’re unnecessarily hard collisions to take and, as a quarterback, your ability to protect yourself and stay on the field should come first in many of the instances in which he’s getting blown up by defenders.
Finally, while Daniels has great arm strength and a quick compact release, he tends to throw all arm. He lacks proper lower-body engagement, resulting in reduced throw power and accuracy, especially on sideline passes. When Daniels experiences this mechanical issue, it tends to cause his deep ball accuracy to become very erratic.
SCHEME FIT
In terms of a scheme fit for Jayden Daniels, I would love to see him in an offensive that runs a lot of inside zone, which could open up some RPOs and quarterback-keeper plays for him. I think we can all agree that Daniels will thrive in a scheme that already has a strong rushing attack.
TEAM FITS
Here are 5 teams that I think can look to draft Jayden Daniels in the 2024 NFL Draft:
The Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks seem like a team that is suffering from poor quarterback play so far this season, They need a long-term answer behind Geno Smith.
The New York Giants. The Giants are just a disaster right now. I think that despite Daniel Jones contract, they will be forced to look elsewhere for the quarterback position.
The Minnesota Vikings. Daniels would be a perfect fit in the Vikings offense. It gives them a certain wrinkle that they didn’t have with Captain Kirk.
The Denver Broncos. The Sean Payton offense would suit Daniels very well. Plus there aren’t many other guys I’d rather learn from than Sean Payton.
Finally, The Atlanta Falcons. Jayden Daniels just seems like an upgraded version of Desmond Ridder doesn’t he?
PRO COMPARISON
My pro comparison for Jayden Daniels is Lamar Jackson. Perhaps the slightly watered-down version of Jackson, but Both players are tall and lean and possess incredible running abilities while being underrated as a passer. Daniels and Jackson also have some eerily similar position concerns at the next level. I don’t understand this, or never will, I just thought it was a funny coincidence. But Daniels's game certainly reminds me of the former MVP.
DRAFT PROJECTION
Daniels is an exciting prospect to try to project to the NFL. I think he has all the raw unrefined talent in the world to be a great all-around dual-threat quarterback in the NFL. I also think it will take some time, teams have to realize he’s a little more of a project than some of the other top prospects. But regardless of that, his talent and athleticism are undeniable. I think Jayden Daniels will be a top-15 Pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS: Use code STADIUMRANT20 for a 20% discount at Bulletproof Coffee, SwingJuice, and Performix. If you love to shotgun beers, use code STADIUMRANT10 at Wild Man Drinking Company.
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here.
Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe!