Dan Quinn Shares 2 Skills That Made Jayden Daniels QB1 For Commanders
Daniels is listed atop Commanders’ first unofficial depth chart, and will start the preseason opener.
Daniels’ decision-making and leadership skills contributed to Quinn’s anticipated decision.
The Commanders begin preseason on the road against the Jets on Aug. 10.
With a new ownership group aiming to lay the foundations of a long-term winning culture, the Washington Commanders selected former Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels to be their future leader in this year’s draft. And if fans were harboring any doubts about the No. 2 overall pick’s fitness for the job, perhaps the team’s new head coach just squashed them.
While speaking to reporters at training camp on Tuesday, head coach Dan Quinn revealed that Daniels has been listed atop the Commanders’ first unofficial depth chart, and is also penciled in to start their preseason opener against the New York Jets on Saturday.
A predictable move, considering the sheer weight of the draft slot. But it didn’t take long for Daniels to turn heads.
During his session with the media, Quinn offered some rather high praise to Daniels, admitting that he’s already surpassed expectations placed upon him during the spring.
It wasn’t the first time Quinn lauded the rookie quarterback, but he did mention two particular traits that earned Daniels the nod to take more first-team reps and immediately stake his claim.
Coaches and Teammates Noticing Smart Decision-Making
Daniels continues to pass camp checkpoints.
Daniels split the Commanders’ first-team reps with veteran backup Marcus Mariota in the first week of training camp, but that workload quickly turned in Daniels’ favor, and Quinn attributed the change to the rookie’s overall accuracy and decision-making in team drills.
Quinn called it a byproduct of Daniels ‘nailing those moments’ when coaches were paying close attention to his pass attempts and understanding of the playbook.
Commanders first-year offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has also commended Daniels for his approach, as he told reporters on Tuesday that the former LSU stud “must study like crazy at night” to have such a grasp on the scheme and terminology.
The team appreciates Daniels’ work ethic, and what helped him climb league draft boards was his eye-popping improvement in accuracy last season.
Daniels completed the 2023 campaign with a career-best 72.2 completion percentage, and his refined field vision catapulted his touchdown-to-interception ratio to a staggering 40-to-4.
Yes, having a few elite playmakers contributed to his stellar numbers — receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. were also 2024 first-round picks — but Daniels checked off a critical box as one of the country’s top dual-threat quarterbacks.
It’s also worth mentioning that sharp decision-making skills are valuable in the ground game, and Daniels certainly showcased his development as a ball carrier. He rushed for 1,134 yards on
135 carriers for 10 touchdowns with LSU last season, and the Commanders must salivate at play-action possibilities Daniels is poised to execute. He has the elusiveness and footwork that’ll keep defenses off-balance and irate. At full strength, Daniels could be a gamewrecker.
