When Lamar Jackson was a rookie, he was stuck behind Joe Flacco. But no one expected the former 32nd overall pick to develop into one of the best players in the NFL and a two-time MVP. Now, here’s Jayden Daniels, who was the second overall pick and immediately claimed the starting quarterback job for the Washington Commanders.
Daniels is already the runaway favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, and he’s even near the top of this year’s NFL MVP odds, along with Jackson. Through five starts, Daniels has a TD-to-INT ratio of 8:2 when counting his rushing touchdowns. He also has the Commanders off to a much better start than anyone anticipated at 4-1, showing the qualities of a true leader, even as a 23-year-old rookie.
There’s no doubt that Daniels has been impressive, but this Sunday, he hits the road to take on Jackson’s Ravens, who allow the fewest yards per rushing attempt in the NFL. Yet, that’s okay, because Daniels can make them pay through the air, especially since Baltimore allows the sixth-most passing yards per attempt. In fact, one analyst thinks this matchup sets up very well for Washington’s rookie.
Related: See where Jayden Daniels and Lamar Jackson land in Sportsnaut’s NFL QB Rankings
Ryan Clark: Jayden Daniels is already a ‘better passer’ than Lamar Jackson
Jayden Daniels is just five starts into his NFL career, but he already leads the entire league in completion rate at 77.1%. Keep in mind, this is a player who’s never had the benefit of having previous experience playing with any of his receivers, or working with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Unlike many seasoned vets around the league who have spent multiple years working in the same system, even with the same pass-catchers, everything is new for Daniels.
Yet, that hasn’t prevented him from having the NFL’s third-best QBR entering Week 6. As impressive as he’s been with his arm, Daniels has been just as good with his legs, picking up 300 yards and four rushing scores. It’s hard not to be impressed with what he’s done in Washington, and one NFL analyst even already thinks the rookie is a better pure passing quarterback than Lamar Jackson is right now.
Here’s what former Steelers safety Ryan Clark had to say about Daniels ahead of the Commanders’ Week 6 matchup against the Ravens on Friday’s edition of ESPN’s Get Up.
Ryan Clark on Get Up today:
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) October 11, 2024
“Right now, today, in five games, Jayden Daniels is the better passer than Lamar Jackson” pic.twitter.com/xxFGhZ7CFu
So, let’s look at some numbers, shall we?
| Player | Completion rate | Passing yards | Passing touchdowns | QBR | Passer rating | PFF Passing grade |
| Lamar Jackson | 65.3% | 1,206 | 9 (1 INT) | 67.1 | 107.2 | 81.9 |
| Jayden Daniels | 77.1% | 1,135 | 4 (2 INT) | 73.2 | 106.2 | 77.7 |
Admittedly, we’re surprised to see just how close many of the numbers are, aside from the completion rate. What’s even crazier is that Jackson is in his seventh NFL season and is already 27 years old. That makes what Daniels is doing all the more impressive in his rookie season at the age of 24.
Related: 1 bold prediction for every game in NFL Week 6, including what happens with Jayden Daniels