Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels introduced as starter to open season: 'Unique competitor'

All signs pointed to rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels leading the Washington Commanders as starter in Week 1, but now it’s been made official.

Daniels, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, has been announced as the starter for the Commanders to open the season, as head coach Dan Quinn said Monday afternoon.

Daniels was highly efficient in his preseason contest against the Miami Dolphins, completing 10-of-12 passes for 78 yards, and it was clearly all Quinn and the rest of the coaching staff needed to see to feel confident he can lead the offense to start the year.

Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders warms up for the preseason game against the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on Aug. 17, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

“I thought he had another really good outing,” Quinn said following the game against the Dolphins. “The accuracy, the decision-making of where to go. He really is a unique competitor.”

The Commanders never made it official that Daniels was going to be the starter when training camp began, but given the state of the quarterback depth chart in Washington, as well as the draft capital spent on him, it was clear who they hoped would emerge as the top dog.

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Daniels has done so with impressive showings in practice and now game scenarios with two preseason contests under his belt.

“He naturally has a good feel of where to position the ball, whether it’s an in-breaking route, out-breaking route, a ball down the field,” Terry McLaurin said, via Commanders.com. “A lot of the things, he just naturally has the ability to have a feel for the game, which is very unique for any quarterback, but let alone a rookie.”

Daniels added: “I like competing; I’m a competitor. Regardless of if I was announced the starter or not, you still gotta compete. You still can’t be content [with] your job, [be] comfortable and think it’s just your job and seal the deal. You gotta compete.”

Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders before the Dolphins game at Hard Rock Stadium on Aug. 17, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Daniels will enter his rookie season in a tough NFC East division with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants all formidable opponents in past seasons. But Daniels has handled the likes of the Dolphins and New York Jets in joint practices, each of which had top 10 defenses last season.

Even Jets All-Pro corner Sauce Gardner gave Daniels his props.

“As a corner, you wanna go against a rookie quarterback, but he’s one of those guys like he’s developed obviously… but he had some great throws out there,” Gardner said.

Daniels won the Heisman last year with the LSU Tigers in his fifth collegiate season, throwing for 3,812 yards with 40 touchdowns to four interceptions, while also rushing for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns.