Washington made its move toward a new future by selecting LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in the NFL Draft Thursday night.
Fresh off a Heisman Trophy-winning season where he threw for 40 touchdowns against just four interceptions to go along with 10 rushing touchdowns last year for the Tigers, Daniels will attempt to solve the quarterback riddle Washington's faced for the past two decades.
While there was some back and forth about which QB the Commanders would take throughout the pre-draft process, the mystery seemed solved for most of this week. There was early speculation Daniels wasn't interested in playing on the East Coast, but eventually, all the noise subsided and the pick became clear.
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“My childhood dream came true, and I’m blessed to be here and be able to hear my name called,” Daniels said.
Daniels will join the Commanders with a chance to earn the starting position in offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's offense. Known for a quick release and an ability to attack vertically, many around the league believe the marriage of Daniels and Kingsbury could yield immediate results. One source described the pairing as "gasoline on a fire" and predicted a fast start for the rebuilt Washington offense.
“I was pretty confident after the conversation that we had that I was able to come in here and fit into the Commanders team,” he said. “I’m here now; I can’t wait to get to work.”
There are no perfect prospects, and the concerns with Daniels include his slight frame and a propensity to take sacks when pressured. Clearly Commanders General Manager Adam Peters believes the talent far outweighs the concerns, and made Daniels his first-ever draft pick.
Washington Commanders
The organization has undergone a major overhaul in the past year: New owner in Josh Harris, new GM in Peters, new head coach in Dan Quinn and now the new QB of the future with Daniels.
“They’re going to get somebody that’s a competitor, that wants to win no matter what,” Daniels said. “And I just want to go out and compete and help the team win football games. At some point in the future, we’ll get this thing turned around, hopefully, but day by day. I’m willing to work and put everything out there on the line.”
Commanders fans have real reason for excitement, and ideally, finally an answer to the QBX riddle.
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