Jayden Daniels has come a long way since his days at Cajon High School in San Bernardino. Picked 2nd overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Commanders, he may go down as another of LSU’s products in the league. However, he spent the first three crucial years of his college career at Arizona State University, which left a sour taste at the end, and it came up once again during his recent appearance on the All Facts No Brakes podcast.
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Host Keyshawn Johnson brought up a brief and viral video from the ASU locker room, asking how Jayden feels about it now. The clip showed his former teammates saying derogatory terms, as they weren’t quite fans of him entering the transfer portal. However, the 2023 Heisman winner seems to have moved on, as he stated:
“I don’t even got nothing to say. Everything happened for a reason.”
A top-five recruit in the state of California in 2019, Jayden Daniels, needed to make it big, and the Sun Devils seemed like a perfect destination. Now-Raiders HC Antonio Pierce was the one to pave the way for the star prospect. Moreover, Herm Edward, who had prior experience coaching in the NFL, was leading the helm, and he taught Jayden how to be a professional by taking him under his wing.
Daniels soaked up as much knowledge from all these veterans, learning how to approach games like a pro. Though he excelled in the program, he realized his full potential at LSU, the uni that churns out NFL prospects every year with its standout football culture.
Jayden Daniels’ Collegiate Stint at LSU and ASU
Starting 55 games across five seasons in college, Jayden Daniels was a different beast at LSU, surrounded by creme-de-la creme, which ultimately helped him win a Heisman Trophy and be drafted early in the draft. He discussed this shift in detail during an interview with Keyshawn Johnson.
He claimed everything was different in Baton Rouge, with more services and better facilities. The football culture was more established, and there was a different dynamic, with everything being more lively and people caring way more about the sport than anything else.
The program only wanted players who were passionate about the sport as much as they did. Moreover, with a lot of players from the South who knew nothing but football, the environment was highly competitive, which gave Daniels more confidence and made him better. Daniels said,
“It was just different. I had more resources at LSU than at ASU. Everyday life; it was nothing but football out there. They live, breathe and sleep football,” Jayden stated. “So you kinda gotta get accustomed to that — if you don’t love football, they are going to run you out of that stadium real fast. The guys I was around like everybody grew up differently, most of them from the South, so football is all they know. So every day at practice we going back and forth, we competing. It brings out a competitive edge out of you.”
The difference in the numbers was visible too. In just two seasons at LSU, Jayden Daniels had 6725 passing yards, 57 touchdowns just 7 picks, and a passing rate of 70.4%. Transferring from one football program to another can lead to success and a better shot at making it to the Pros.
Joe Burrow left Ohio State for LSU, playing two seasons, winning a Natty, and a Heisman. He was also picked overall. Moreover, transfer quarterbacks like Cam Newton and Baker Mayfield went on to win Heiman and the National Championship.
