By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Sports Writer
ASHBURN, Va. The Washington Commanders selected Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels with the second pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.
The decision to go with Daniels, the AP’s college football player of the year for his stellar season with LSU, was made after Chicago led off by taking Southern California QB Caleb Williams as expected. Washington went with Daniels over North Carolina’s Drake Maye and Michigan national champion J.J. McCarthy.
Short of Williams, a Washington-area native who would have been a no-brainer if the Bears passed on him for some reason, Daniels became the pick after leading the nation in total offense last season with 4,946 yards — 412.2 on average over 12 games. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound do-it-all threat ranked fifth with 3,812 yards passing and with 40 touchdowns trailed just Oregon’s Bo Nix, who played in two extra games. He ran for 10 more.
Daniels, 23, blossomed into a star over two seasons at LSU after transferring in 2022 following three years at Arizona State. He became an increasingly decisive pocket passer as his trust in receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. grew, and he became more adept at buying time by scrambling rather than giving up on plays and taking off running.
It’s unclear if Daniels will play right away, get the chance to compete for the starting job or sit and learn behind veteran Marcus Mariota, who is willing to be a mentor after signing a one-year deal in free agency. Whether it’s Daniels, Mariota or journeyman Jeff Driskel, Washington will have an eighth different Week 1 starting QB in as many seasons after trading Sam Howell to Seattle last month.
