Heisman winner Jayden Daniels announced on Monday that he is going to skip out on the LSU Tigers ReliaQuest Bowl game on New Year’s Day against Wisconsin.
In the process, Daniels pretty much declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.
“I want to say thank you to everyone who made this happen, but all great things must come to an end,” Daniels said in a video on X. “I feel better about the state of the program with the quarterback moving forward. No matter what, I promise that won’t be the last time you all see this kid around, because this is my city and my second home.”
Considered by many to be the third-best quarterback in the draft class behind USC’s Caleb Williams and Drake Maye of North Carolina, Daniels is a projected top-10 pick early in the pre-draft process.
The transfer from Arizona State was absolutely brilliant for Brian Kelly and the Tigers during the 2023 season en route to winning the Heisman.
- Jayden Daniels stats (2023): 72% completion, 3,812 passing yards, 1,134 rushing yards, 50 total TD, 4 INT
The 6-foot-4 Daniels is seen as a dynamic dual-threat quarterback with elite athleticism and a great deep ball. Sure, there are concerns over his overall accuracy on intermediate routes, but the kid’s tape stands out big time. He is the definition of a modern NFL Draft prospect. Below, we look at three ideal landing spots for the young man in the coming draft.
Related: Updated 2024 NFL Draft order
New England Patriots surprise with Jayden Daniels
There is so much up in the air for the 3-11 Patriots heading down the stretch. It’s now almost a foregone conclusion that Bill Belichick will be moving on after nearly a quarter-century as New England’s head coach. Outside of having a rare change on the sideline, this will have a major impact on the Patriots’ front office as well.
What we do know is that the benched Mac Jones is not a long-term option in New England. He’s fallen out of favor since a solid rookie campaign back in 2021. Currently slated to pick No. 2 overall in the draft, most have the aforementioned Maye pegged to go to New England.
We’re not 100% buying that. Whoever is brought in to call the shots might want a more dynamic option under center to start anew with a rebuild. While Daniels’ floor is much lower than Maye’s, his upside is through the roof.
Related: 2024 NFL mock draft, Jayden Daniels lands in top 10
Las Vegas Raiders finally draft franchise quarterback
Much like New England, everything is up in the air in Sin City. Interim head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Champ Kelly might have done enough to remain in their current positions. That’s especially true after Vegas dropped 63 points against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Even then, there is still some question about whether rookie mid-round pick Aidan O’Connell is the long-term solution in Southern Nevada. He’s shown well. But is not nearly as dynamic as the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft.
At some point, the Raiders need to bite the proverbial bullet and finally spend a top-round pick on a quarterback. Former GM Dave Ziegler wanted to do that last year with C.J. Stroud. He was ultimately overruled by recently-fired head coach Josh McDaniels. Daniels would rectify that mistake.
Related: NFL QB rankings heading into Week 16
Seattle Seahawks trade up for Jayden Daniels
Speaking of quarterback purgatory, that’s where the Seahawks find themselves. They re-signed Geno Smith after he earned NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors. The end result has not been good for the veteran journeyman and his team in 2023.
- Geno Smith stats (2023): 64.4% completion, 2,918 yards, 15 TD, 9 INT
Seen as a bottom-end playoff contender in the NFC, Seattle is currently projected to pick 13th in the draft. It would have to trade up from that spot to land Daniels. But with the team falling far behind the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West, it might be time for general manager John Schneider to pull off that type of blockbuster for a potential franchise signal caller. That’s especially true with 49ers QB Brock Purdy seen as the NFL MVP favorite.