Jayden Daniels put together one of the best rookie quarterback seasons in NFL history last year. His 100.1 passer rating ranks as the fourth-highest all-time for a rookie. He also revitalized the careers of Terry McLaurin and Zach Ertz and led the Commanders to their first NFC Championship since 1992. Daniels has certainly proven he can perform on the big stage, but his former LSU teammate, Malik Nabers, recognized his potential well before he entered the league.
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In a recent sit-down with NFL journalist Ross Tucker, Nabers reflected on his dominant 2024 campaign and shared what he’s looking for in his next quarterback. Naturally, Daniels’ name came up as they reminisced about Nabers’ days at Baton Rouge.
Tucker playfully asked if Nabers, Daniels, and Brian Thomas Jr. ever lost games while playing together, given how dominant the trio was. He then wondered when Nabers first realized that Daniels was a special player.
“I’m glad you asked me that,” Nabers started. “Going into his last year, we’re in spring, and we have football school, you know? He’s leading the practices after we do runs. And I saw a shift after he left and it was time to go home back to family.
“I heard he went and worked out with CJ Stroud and those guys back in California. But when he came back, you just noticed a shift in his game like he was way more confident. He gave us way more opportunities to make plays with the football,” the wide receiver added.
It seems the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Stroud, gave Daniels some key pointers to elevate his game.
The Texans QB is known for his pocket presence, often regarded as one of the best pocket passers in the NFL. During Jayden’s time at LSU, he lacked that dynamic—he was more known for running the ball. He ran a combined 321 times over two seasons at LSU for more than 2,000 rushing yards.
But now in the NFL, Daniels is known for his quick decision-making in the pocket and has transitioned into a pass-first, run-second playmaker. Maybe this is evidence of what Stroud bestowed upon the young QB.
That said, Nabers also went on to mention that Daniels may not have been used to playing with the standout wide receiving talents, like at LSU, compared to when he played for Arizona State. And that may be why it took him so long to realize his skills as a passer.
Daniels from ASU to LSU
Daniels’ college career was a tale of two stories. He began as an inexperienced, skittish quarterback at Arizona State who never hesitated to take off. In his freshman season, he ran the ball 125 times for just 355 yards, resulting in a disappointing 2.8 yards per carry. Daniels initially struggled to pick the right moments to run. In the 12 games he started as a freshman, he ran 10+ times in eight of them, with his highest rushing total being just 84 yards.
But there were also flashes of brilliance in his freshman year at Arizona State. Like when he led an upset over Justin Herbert and the #6 Oregon Ducks. Daniels finished the year by beating rival Arizona, and Florida State in the Sun Bowl.
In 2020, he only played in four games because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then in 2021, he had a mediocre passing year, but a much improved rushing season. The Sun Devils were even ranked as high as #18 at one point. Then, following some staff firings due to recruiting violations, Daniels entered the transfer portal in February 2022. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Daniels went on to have two standout seasons at LSU, throwing a combined 57 touchdown passes with only seven interceptions. He also added 21 rushing scores.
Daniels clinched the Heisman Trophy, was selected with the No. 2 overall pick, and led his team to the NFC Championship in his rookie year. It may have taken him a while to realize his true potential, but now the sky’s the limit.
