Jayden Daniels (born December 18, 2000) is an American professional football quarterback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). After three seasons with the Arizona State Sun Devils and two with the LSU Tigers, Daniels won the 2023 Heisman Trophy, leading the FBS in total yards and setting the single-season passer rating record. He was selected second overall by the Commanders in the 2024 NFL Draft and quickly set completion percentage records within his first month of play.
### Early Life
Jayden Daniels was born in Fontana, California, and raised in San Bernardino. He excelled in flag football, basketball, and soccer before attending Cajon High School. Despite being undersized at 125 pounds, Daniels became the starting quarterback for Cajon's varsity team as a freshman. He led the team to multiple CIF Southern Section titles and set a CIF record for total yards in a season with 6,431 in 2017. Over his high school career, he amassed 211 touchdowns and 17,642 total yards, becoming a top-ranked dual-threat quarterback prospect.
### College Career
#### Arizona State (2019–2021)
Daniels became the first true freshman to start as quarterback for Arizona State in 2019, setting a school freshman record for passing yards. His success was curtailed by the shortened 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though he continued to perform well in 2021, leading the Sun Devils in completion percentage. After a tumultuous 2021 season marked by coaching changes, Daniels transferred to LSU in 2022.
#### LSU (2022–2023)
Daniels led LSU to the SEC Championship Game in his first season and became a Heisman winner in 2023 after an incredible campaign where he scored 50 touchdowns and set several records, including the FBS single-season passer rating of 208.0. He concluded his college career with 16,056 total yards, placing him among the top all-time FBS players.
### Professional Career
Daniels was selected by the Washington Commanders in the 2024 NFL Draft, becoming the second overall pick. In his rookie season, Daniels quickly made an impact, setting multiple NFL rookie records, including completion percentage. He was named Offensive Rookie of the Month in September 2024 and became the first rookie in NFL history to pass for over 1,000 yards and rush for over 250 yards in his first five games.
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New Commanders QBs get to work". *ESPN*. Archived from the original on June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
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