Last year, it was CJ Stroud, and this year, it’s Jayden Daniels. Through four weeks, the second overall pick has balled out, leading one of the top offensive scoring units in the league. Some are even calling him a franchise quarterback — possibly the one to break the Commanders’ 3-year playoff drought. However, the rookie remains determined to stay grounded.
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On the back of a Heisman campaign, Daniels declared for this year’s draft and was eventually selected by the Commanders. He was then thrust into the starting role, tasked with filling the shoes of a starter in his debut year. It’s a significant responsibility of any collegiate player, and Daniels understood that.
So, in the offseason, when a reporter had asked Daniels how he felt about being the star of an NFL franchise, he answered: “I’m not a star yet, I’m a rookie.”
Now, one might argue that the former LSU quarterback can call himself a star, especially with the 3-1 record under his belt. However, when the same reporter recounted that story during Wednesday’s presser, Daniels said:
“Y’all can say whatever y’all want. I’m still a rookie in my eyes… So, I let everybody else do the talking for me. I don’t get caught up in that stuff.”
Similarly, another reporter asked how the quarterback is able to remain focused amidst all the outside noise: be it his record-breaking sales or the statistical milestones he has been reaching. In response, Daniels first thanked God for finding himself in that situation and further noted that he doesn’t wish to get caught up in what people are saying.
He wholeheartedly believes that things can change in an instant. “I could be playing good, then playing bad. And people (would) be thinking the opposite,” the rookie said.
It’s quite clear that Daniels is the epitome of being ‘locked in.’ However, at the same time, other quarterbacks like Caleb Williams, who was picked one slot above the Commanders’ rookie, have yet to find their stride.
Caleb struggles in Chicago
While Daniels had his share of the spotlight by being thrust into a starter role, Caleb Williams was a notch above. Hype surrounded the Chicago quarterback, and fans began to believe they had found their franchise quarterback in the former USC Trojans star.
He was featured in numerous commercials and even got featured in HBO’s Hard Knocks. But as we stand now, the hype has died down quite a bit.
The former No. 1-ranked dual-threat quarterback has yet to score a touchdown on the run. He has also had a subpar performance in the passing game, completing 87 out of 141 attempts. And in terms of touchdowns, he has been able to tally just three.
Caleb’s more interceptions than touchdowns as of now doesn’t help his case, either. However, the Bears still stand at 2-2, with a clear shot at a playoff berth.
While the rookie quarterback is getting flamed by both critics and fans online, let’s not forget that even Jordan Love performed poorly in two-thirds of the season last year. However, the Packers quarterback still led his team to the playoffs and defeated America’s team, the Cowboys, in the Wild Card Round.
Caleb has yet to get the protection from the O-line that he needs to win some games. The Bears have also been quite inconsistent in terms of developing a quarterback. Just look at what happened to Justin Fields.
On the other hand, Daniels and his offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury have become two peas in a pod, executing plays that are almost unbelievable for a rookie. Perhaps that’s what Caleb needs as well: a better O-line and more support. Clearly, simply bolstering the wide receiver room doesn’t get the job done.
