On Thursday, April 25, 2024, history was made in the NFL.
The NFL draft took place in Detroit, Michigan. Teams were given the chance to draft the new wave of NFL players, hoping to find the next generational talent.
Like every draft, not every team will be lucky enough to get a great pick. There will be busts and diamonds in the rough that people have never heard about.
However, all eyes are on the first round. It’s the only round in the draft that gets its own night because of how essential and franchise-changing these picks can be, and last year, it was no different.
The first round was filled with numerous players who could make an immediate impact. It’s beginning to look like one of the best first we have seen recently. Most of that hype was because of the quarterback position, undeniably the most important position on the football field.
The Chicago Bears held the No.1 pick, and without hesitation, they drafted Caleb Williams, a player who had shown what he could since he was a freshman. He won the Heisman in his sophomore year at USC, and he drew the comparison to NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
It was a no-brainer for the Bears, and everyone knew where they were going, but the next pick could change the face of the NFL as we know it.
The Washington Commanders had the No. 2 pick. After going 4-13, one glaring issue needed to be addressed: The offense lacked firepower. Their former starting quarterback, Sam Howell, threw 21 interceptions and lost eight straight games to end the season.
There were two options: Drake Maye from North Carolina and Jayden Daniels from LSU.
Maye solidified himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the nation after throwing for over 8,000 yards, 63 touchdowns and only 16 interceptions in three years.
Meanwhile, Daniels began his career with Arizona State before transferring to LSU, where he made a name for himself. In his final year with the Tigers, Daniels threw for over 3,800 yards and 40 touchdowns and ran for over 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns. With numbers like those, Daniels won the Heisman trophy and flew up draft boards throughout the season.
Both players had high potential, but ultimately, the Commanders took Daniels at No. 2, a pick that might change their franchise forever.
The Commanders hired Dan Quinn as head coach and Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator, which allowed Daniels to unlock his potential.
Daniels is a big-time player. Big-time players have big-time games and make big-time plays, and that’s what he did all season long.
In only his third game of the season, Daniels went toe-to-toe with another LSU Heisman trophy winner, Joe Burrow, and ultimately defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in a stunning 38-33 victory. He tallied 293 yards and three touchdowns while only missing two passes.
Fast-forward to week eight, when Daniels took on Williams in a No. 1 versus No. 2 showdown. It was a defensive game, but both players showed why they were drafted so high.
After being down 12 for most of the game, the Bears started to climb back into the game and had a chance to win.
Williams drove the Bears down the field to take the lead with 25 seconds left. The game looked all but over, but the Commanders did have an opportunity to tie or win.
After a few sizable gains, the Commanders were in the range of a hail-mary attempt. With two seconds on the clock with the ball at the Bears’ 48-yard line, Daniels improvised and bought time for his receivers to get down the field.
Daniels uncorked a pass to the goal line. The ball was tipped, and for what felt like an eternity, the football found its way into the hands of Commander’s receiver, Noah Brown, for the win.
A play that had the internet shocked, Daniels pulled off the unthinkable.
However, that wasn’t the end of Daniels’s magic. In a game against the Eagles, who are trying to fight for a playoff spot, Daniels led his team to a comeback win. He found Jamesion Crowder in the end zone to take the lead and ultimately win.
The following week, with a playoff berth on the line, Daniels battled against the Falcons in a Week 17 overtime thriller. After 11 plays and 68 yards, he found tight end Zach Ertz in the end-zone for the game-winning touchdown. Daniels threw for five touchdowns while also running for 81 yards.
Daniels got the keys to the car and was allowed to drive however he liked. As a result, he led them to the playoffs for the first time in four years and had 10 or more wins for the first time since 2012.
Daniels has always been the type of player who is never satisfied; he always wants more. In the Wildcard matchup against the Buccaneers, Daniels totaled 304 yards and threw two touchdowns while also getting his team within field goal range for a game-winning field goal that sent them to the divisional round.
It was the Commanders’ first playoff win since the 2005-2006 season; Daniels had just turned six years old when that happened. Little did they know that a kid from Fontana, California, would end playoff droughts.
This past Saturday, Daniels walked into Ford Field to take on the one-seeded Detroit Lions. The Lions have been labeled as Super Bowl contenders for the whole year. With the best recorded in the conference, they received a first-round bye and got an extra week of rest.
But even with that extra week, they couldn’t slow down Daniels. Throwing for 299 yards, two passing touchdowns and rushing for 51 yards, Daniels knocked off the best team in the NFC and earned a spot in the NFC Championship.
The drought was over. Washington made it to the conference championship for the first time since 1991 and as a wildcard team for the first time since 1986.
Daniels is now one win away from playing in the Super Bowl. He has been the best rookie in a stacked draft class all year long. Bo Nix, Brock Bowers, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas have all had tremendous rookie seasons, but the 11-time rookie of the week is doing things many people have done early in their career.
Only six rookie quarterbacks have started in a conference championship game, and Daniels is one of them. With so many accolades in his career, Daniels needs to make room on his shelf for the Rookie of the Year award.
