LSU’s Brian Kelly appears to say where Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels may go in 2024 NFL Draft

It’s the offseason, which means it’s NFL Draft time. The discourse associated with the draft is ever evolving, and there may not be a greater example of that than the race to be the second quarterback chosen in the 2024 class, aka the second overall pick of the draft by the Washington Commanders.

Entering the 2023 collegiate season, it was assumed 2022 Heisman Trophy winner and USC quarterback Caleb Williams and North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye would be the first two picks of the 2024 NFL Draft. Then, fifth-year senior LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels erupted for the Tigers, giving Maye some competition to be the second quarterback selected. He racked up 3,812 yards passing, 40 passing touchdowns and just four interceptions with a completion percentage of 72.2%. That registered Daniels with college football’s highest single-season passing efficiency rating ever (208.0). 

He was just as electrifying with his feet, running for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns on 135 rushing attempts, churning out a rate of 8.4 yards per carry. Daniels led all college quarterbacks in both passing yards per attempt (11.7) and yards per carry (8.4). Thus, there was plenty excitement around his LSU pro day on Wednesday. Daniels, who is 6-foot-4, didn’t have height concerns, but there were concerns about his stature. He didn’t weigh in at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he weighed 210 pounds at the pro day workout. However, Sports Reference listed Daniels 2023 playing weight at 185 pounds. 

In an attempt to squash doubts about his quarterback’s weight, LSU head coach Brian Kelly may have telegraphed that Daniels will be the 2024 NFL Draft’s second overall pick by the Commanders. Or, it may have been an honest mistake after spending plenty of time talking at the pro day with Washington head coach Dan Quinn, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and general manger Adam Peters. 

“He [Daniels] is going to be so committed to taking care of himself that you’re not going to have to worry about size or [if] he doesn’t weigh enough,” Kelly said. “Lamar [Jackson] has done a pretty good job with his size. [Patrick] Mahomes I wouldn’t consider him a giant. Because he [Daniels] is going to get the ball out to the playmakers and make plays. For Washington.”

Quinn and Peters appeared to like what they saw at Daniels’ pro day workout, and Quinn even addressed the question about Daniels’ build. 

“It’s not one size fits all, but I think there are some measurables that you do want to find — some markers to hit for a quarterback,” Quinn said Wednesday, via Yahoo Sports. “You hear about hand size and his ability to rotate and shoulder flexibility and all of those things. Those will show up on the tape. Also where we live, they better be weather resistant too and be able to play in the elements and do all that because we certainly have games that will be that way. But more than anything it’s the ability from the neck up.”

Quinn also appeared to enjoy having a conversation with Maye at his North Carolina pro day on Thursday. 

In short, there are four weeks between Thursday and the 2024 NFL Draft on April 25. The Commanders could certainly change their mind about whomever they are selecting plenty of times between now and then.