|
|
||
Line 73: | Line 73: | ||
In March 2022, Daniels transferred to [[Louisiana State University]] to play for the [[LSU Tigers football|LSU Tigers]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nagy |first=Zack |date=April 10, 2022 |title=LSU QB Jayden Daniels Says Transferring "Best Thing I Could've Done" |url=https://www.si.com/college/lsu/football/lsu-jayden-daniels-competing-qb-job |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=SI.com |archivedate=May 5, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505220432/https://www.si.com/college/lsu/football/lsu-jayden-daniels-competing-qb-job |url-status=live }}</ref> He was named the starter over [[Garrett Nussmeier]] prior to the opening game of the [[2022 LSU Tigers football team|2022 season]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sallee |first1=Barrett |title=Jayden Daniels wins LSU QB job: Arizona State transfer to start for Tigers in season opener, per reports |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/jayden-daniels-wins-lsu-qb-job-arizona-state-transfer-to-start-for-tigers-in-season-opener-per-reports/ |website=[[CBS Sports]] |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=September 4, 2022 |archivedate=May 25, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525075026/https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/jayden-daniels-wins-lsu-qb-job-arizona-state-transfer-to-start-for-tigers-in-season-opener-per-reports/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Daniels led the Tigers to a 9–3 record and an appearance in the [[2022 SEC Championship Game]] against the [[Georgia Bulldogs football|Georgia Bulldogs]].<ref name="2022SEC">{{cite web |last1=Wolk |first1=Benjamin |title=Brian Kelly, LSU players explain what was learned from SEC title loss and what it takes to close gap on UGA |url=https://247sports.com/college/georgia/article/brian-kelly-lsu-players-explain-what-was-learned-from-sec-title-loss-and-what-it-takes-to-close-gap-on-uga-212907362/ |website=[[247sports]] |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=July 17, 2023 |archive-date=May 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240528005913/https://247sports.com/college/georgia/article/brian-kelly-lsu-players-explain-what-was-learned-from-sec-title-loss-and-what-it-takes-to-close-gap-on-uga-212907362/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Daniels, entering with a [[sprained ankle]], left the game following a sack by [[Jalen Carter]] late in the second quarter.{{efn|LSU lost 50–30}}<ref name="2022SEC"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Scarborough |first1=Alex |title=LSU QB Jayden Daniels in walking boot, but avoided serious ankle sprain |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/35125489/lsu-jayden-daniels-walking-boot-help-ankle-sprain |website=ESPN |access-date=May 22, 2024 |date=November 27, 2022 |archive-date=May 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522215944/https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/35125489/lsu-jayden-daniels-walking-boot-help-ankle-sprain |url-status=live }}</ref> He returned the following week for the [[2023 Citrus Bowl]], catching a touchdown pass from wide receiver [[Malik Nabers]] in a 63–7 win over the [[Purdue Boilermakers football|Purdue Boilermakers]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Murschel |first1=Matt |title=LSU dominates Purdue 63-7 to claim Citrus Bowl win |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2023/01/02/lsu-dominates-purdue-63-7-to-claim-citrus-bowl-win/ |website=[[Chicago Tribune]] |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=January 2, 2023 |archivedate=May 5, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505220431/https://www.chicagotribune.com/2023/01/02/lsu-dominates-purdue-63-7-to-claim-citrus-bowl-win/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He finished the season as a semifinalist for the [[Davey O'Brien Award]] after accounting for 28 touchdowns (17 passing, 11 rushing).<ref name="CollegeStats">{{cite web |title=Jayden Daniels College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jayden-daniels-1.html |website=[[Sports Reference]] |access-date=May 5, 2024 |archivedate=April 28, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240428025127/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jayden-daniels-1.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="MVP2022">{{cite web |title=Daniels Named Football MVP at Annual Awards Show |url=https://lsusports.net/news/2022/12/12/daniels-named-football-mvp-at-annual-awards-show/ |website=LSU Sports |date=December 12, 2022 |access-date=April 14, 2024 |archivedate=September 30, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230930083557/https://lsusports.net/news/2022/12/12/daniels-named-football-mvp-at-annual-awards-show/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Daniels Among 21 Semifinalists for Davey O'Brien Award |url=https://lsusports.net/news/2022/11/15/daniels-among-21-semifinalists-for-davey-obrien-award/ |website=LSUSports.net |date=November 15, 2022 |publisher=[[LSU Tigers]] |access-date=May 5, 2024 |archivedate=May 5, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505232916/https://lsusports.net/news/2022/11/15/daniels-among-21-semifinalists-for-davey-obrien-award/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |
In March 2022, Daniels transferred to [[Louisiana State University]] to play for the [[LSU Tigers football|LSU Tigers]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nagy |first=Zack |date=April 10, 2022 |title=LSU QB Jayden Daniels Says Transferring "Best Thing I Could've Done" |url=https://www.si.com/college/lsu/football/lsu-jayden-daniels-competing-qb-job |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=SI.com |archivedate=May 5, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505220432/https://www.si.com/college/lsu/football/lsu-jayden-daniels-competing-qb-job |url-status=live }}</ref> He was named the starter over [[Garrett Nussmeier]] prior to the opening game of the [[2022 LSU Tigers football team|2022 season]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sallee |first1=Barrett |title=Jayden Daniels wins LSU QB job: Arizona State transfer to start for Tigers in season opener, per reports |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/jayden-daniels-wins-lsu-qb-job-arizona-state-transfer-to-start-for-tigers-in-season-opener-per-reports/ |website=[[CBS Sports]] |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=September 4, 2022 |archivedate=May 25, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525075026/https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/jayden-daniels-wins-lsu-qb-job-arizona-state-transfer-to-start-for-tigers-in-season-opener-per-reports/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Daniels led the Tigers to a 9–3 record and an appearance in the [[2022 SEC Championship Game]] against the [[Georgia Bulldogs football|Georgia Bulldogs]].<ref name="2022SEC">{{cite web |last1=Wolk |first1=Benjamin |title=Brian Kelly, LSU players explain what was learned from SEC title loss and what it takes to close gap on UGA |url=https://247sports.com/college/georgia/article/brian-kelly-lsu-players-explain-what-was-learned-from-sec-title-loss-and-what-it-takes-to-close-gap-on-uga-212907362/ |website=[[247sports]] |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=July 17, 2023 |archive-date=May 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240528005913/https://247sports.com/college/georgia/article/brian-kelly-lsu-players-explain-what-was-learned-from-sec-title-loss-and-what-it-takes-to-close-gap-on-uga-212907362/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Daniels, entering with a [[sprained ankle]], left the game following a sack by [[Jalen Carter]] late in the second quarter.{{efn|LSU lost 50–30}}<ref name="2022SEC"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Scarborough |first1=Alex |title=LSU QB Jayden Daniels in walking boot, but avoided serious ankle sprain |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/35125489/lsu-jayden-daniels-walking-boot-help-ankle-sprain |website=ESPN |access-date=May 22, 2024 |date=November 27, 2022 |archive-date=May 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522215944/https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/35125489/lsu-jayden-daniels-walking-boot-help-ankle-sprain |url-status=live }}</ref> He returned the following week for the [[2023 Citrus Bowl]], catching a touchdown pass from wide receiver [[Malik Nabers]] in a 63–7 win over the [[Purdue Boilermakers football|Purdue Boilermakers]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Murschel |first1=Matt |title=LSU dominates Purdue 63-7 to claim Citrus Bowl win |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2023/01/02/lsu-dominates-purdue-63-7-to-claim-citrus-bowl-win/ |website=[[Chicago Tribune]] |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=January 2, 2023 |archivedate=May 5, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505220431/https://www.chicagotribune.com/2023/01/02/lsu-dominates-purdue-63-7-to-claim-citrus-bowl-win/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He finished the season as a semifinalist for the [[Davey O'Brien Award]] after accounting for 28 touchdowns (17 passing, 11 rushing).<ref name="CollegeStats">{{cite web |title=Jayden Daniels College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jayden-daniels-1.html |website=[[Sports Reference]] |access-date=May 5, 2024 |archivedate=April 28, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240428025127/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jayden-daniels-1.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="MVP2022">{{cite web |title=Daniels Named Football MVP at Annual Awards Show |url=https://lsusports.net/news/2022/12/12/daniels-named-football-mvp-at-annual-awards-show/ |website=LSU Sports |date=December 12, 2022 |access-date=April 14, 2024 |archivedate=September 30, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230930083557/https://lsusports.net/news/2022/12/12/daniels-named-football-mvp-at-annual-awards-show/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Daniels Among 21 Semifinalists for Davey O'Brien Award |url=https://lsusports.net/news/2022/11/15/daniels-among-21-semifinalists-for-davey-obrien-award/ |website=LSUSports.net |date=November 15, 2022 |publisher=[[LSU Tigers]] |access-date=May 5, 2024 |archivedate=May 5, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505232916/https://lsusports.net/news/2022/11/15/daniels-among-21-semifinalists-for-davey-obrien-award/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |
||
Named a [[team captain]] for the [[2023 LSU Tigers football team|2023 season]],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nettuno |first1=Tyler |title=LSU names team captains for the 2023 season |url=https://lsutigerswire.usatoday.com/2023/08/29/lsu-football-names-team-captains-2023-jayden-daniels-will-campbell-mekhi-wingo-greg-brooks-jr/ |website=LSU Wire |publisher=[[USA Today]] |access-date=June 4, 2024 |date=August 29, 2023 |archive-date=June 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240604184737/https://lsutigerswire.usatoday.com/2023/08/29/lsu-football-names-team-captains-2023-jayden-daniels-will-campbell-mekhi-wingo-greg-brooks-jr/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Daniels led the Tigers to a 9–3 record and won the [[Heisman Trophy]] among several other awards after setting the [[NCAA]] single-season [[passer rating]] record (208.0), scoring 50 touchdowns (40 passing, 10 rushing), and [[List of NCAA major college football yearly total offense leaders#Total offense leaders|leading the NCAA in total yards]] with 4,946 (3,812 passing, 1,134 rushing).<ref name="CollegeStats"/><ref name="Heisman">{{cite web |last1=Alexander |first1=Wilson |title=Jayden Daniels claims the Heisman Trophy, becoming 3rd winner in LSU history |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/lsu/lsu-quarterback-jayden-daniels-wins-the-heisman-trophy/article_48f8a28a-96f6-11ee-bafb-3fed75c48468.html |website=NOLA.com |publisher=[[The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate]] |access-date=May 13, 2024 |date=December 9, 2023 |archivedate=May 13, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513170900/https://www.nola.com/sports/lsu/lsu-quarterback-jayden-daniels-wins-the-heisman-trophy/article_48f8a28a-96f6-11ee-bafb-3fed75c48468.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He was the third LSU player to win the Heisman behind [[Billy Cannon]] (1959) and [[Joe Burrow]] (2019).<ref name="Heisman"/> In a game against the [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama Crimson Tide]],{{efn|LSU lost 42–28}} Daniels suffered a head injury and entered [[concussion protocol]]. He returned the following week against the [[Florida Gators football|Florida Gators]],{{efn|LSU won 52–35}} setting a [[Southeastern Conference|SEC]] record with 606 total yards and becoming the first player in [[Football Bowl Subdivision]] (FBS) history to pass for 350 and run for 200 in single game.<ref>{{cite web |author1=ESPN News Services |title=Jayden Daniels in concussion protocol after exiting LSU loss |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38821379/jayden-daniels-concussion-protocol-exiting-lsu-loss |website=[[ESPN]] |access-date=May 22, 2024 |archive-date=May 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522214958/https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38821379/jayden-daniels-concussion-protocol-exiting-lsu-loss |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Florida">{{Cite web |last=Olson |first=Eric |date=November 13, 2023 |title=LSU's Jayden Daniels only FBS quarterback to pass for 350 and run for 200 in single game |url=https://apnews.com/article/college-football-statistics-ad0871e28a7c3e7783ccea05d6c70377 |access-date=November 14, 2023 |website=AP News |language=en |archivedate=November 13, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113110224/https://apnews.com/article/college-football-statistics-ad0871e28a7c3e7783ccea05d6c70377 |url-status=live }}</ref> A week later against the [[Georgia State Panthers football|Georgia State Panthers]], he tied a school record with eight touchdowns.{{efn|LSU won 56–14}}<ref name="GeorgiaState">{{Cite web|title=Daniels Scores 8 TD's in 56-14 Win Over Georgia State|url=https://lsusports.net/news/2023/11/18/daniels-and-lsu-offense-continue-to-make-history-in-56-14-win-over-georgia-state/|access-date=December 22, 2023|website=LSUSports.net|publisher=[[LSU Tigers]]|date=November 18, 2023|language=en|archivedate=December 23, 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223093945/https://lsusports.net/news/2023/11/18/daniels-and-lsu-offense-continue-to-make-history-in-56-14-win-over-georgia-state/|url-status=live}}</ref> Daniels sat out of the [[2024 ReliaQuest Bowl (January)|2024 ReliaQuest Bowl]] to prepare for the [[NFL draft]], finishing his college career with 16, |
Named a [[team captain]] for the [[2023 LSU Tigers football team|2023 season]],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nettuno |first1=Tyler |title=LSU names team captains for the 2023 season |url=https://lsutigerswire.usatoday.com/2023/08/29/lsu-football-names-team-captains-2023-jayden-daniels-will-campbell-mekhi-wingo-greg-brooks-jr/ |website=LSU Wire |publisher=[[USA Today]] |access-date=June 4, 2024 |date=August 29, 2023 |archive-date=June 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240604184737/https://lsutigerswire.usatoday.com/2023/08/29/lsu-football-names-team-captains-2023-jayden-daniels-will-campbell-mekhi-wingo-greg-brooks-jr/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Daniels led the Tigers to a 9–3 record and won the [[Heisman Trophy]] among several other awards after setting the [[NCAA]] single-season [[passer rating]] record (208.0), scoring 50 touchdowns (40 passing, 10 rushing), and [[List of NCAA major college football yearly total offense leaders#Total offense leaders|leading the NCAA in total yards]] with 4,946 (3,812 passing, 1,134 rushing).<ref name="CollegeStats"/><ref name="Heisman">{{cite web |last1=Alexander |first1=Wilson |title=Jayden Daniels claims the Heisman Trophy, becoming 3rd winner in LSU history |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/lsu/lsu-quarterback-jayden-daniels-wins-the-heisman-trophy/article_48f8a28a-96f6-11ee-bafb-3fed75c48468.html |website=NOLA.com |publisher=[[The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate]] |access-date=May 13, 2024 |date=December 9, 2023 |archivedate=May 13, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513170900/https://www.nola.com/sports/lsu/lsu-quarterback-jayden-daniels-wins-the-heisman-trophy/article_48f8a28a-96f6-11ee-bafb-3fed75c48468.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He was the third LSU player to win the Heisman behind [[Billy Cannon]] (1959) and [[Joe Burrow]] (2019).<ref name="Heisman"/> In a game against the [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama Crimson Tide]],{{efn|LSU lost 42–28}} Daniels suffered a head injury and entered [[concussion protocol]]. He returned the following week against the [[Florida Gators football|Florida Gators]],{{efn|LSU won 52–35}} setting a [[Southeastern Conference|SEC]] record with 606 total yards and becoming the first player in [[Football Bowl Subdivision]] (FBS) history to pass for 350 and run for 200 in single game.<ref>{{cite web |author1=ESPN News Services |title=Jayden Daniels in concussion protocol after exiting LSU loss |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38821379/jayden-daniels-concussion-protocol-exiting-lsu-loss |website=[[ESPN]] |access-date=May 22, 2024 |archive-date=May 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522214958/https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38821379/jayden-daniels-concussion-protocol-exiting-lsu-loss |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Florida">{{Cite web |last=Olson |first=Eric |date=November 13, 2023 |title=LSU's Jayden Daniels only FBS quarterback to pass for 350 and run for 200 in single game |url=https://apnews.com/article/college-football-statistics-ad0871e28a7c3e7783ccea05d6c70377 |access-date=November 14, 2023 |website=AP News |language=en |archivedate=November 13, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113110224/https://apnews.com/article/college-football-statistics-ad0871e28a7c3e7783ccea05d6c70377 |url-status=live }}</ref> A week later against the [[Georgia State Panthers football|Georgia State Panthers]], he tied a school record with eight touchdowns.{{efn|LSU won 56–14}}<ref name="GeorgiaState">{{Cite web|title=Daniels Scores 8 TD's in 56-14 Win Over Georgia State|url=https://lsusports.net/news/2023/11/18/daniels-and-lsu-offense-continue-to-make-history-in-56-14-win-over-georgia-state/|access-date=December 22, 2023|website=LSUSports.net|publisher=[[LSU Tigers]]|date=November 18, 2023|language=en|archivedate=December 23, 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223093945/https://lsusports.net/news/2023/11/18/daniels-and-lsu-offense-continue-to-make-history-in-56-14-win-over-georgia-state/|url-status=live}}</ref> Daniels sat out of the [[2024 ReliaQuest Bowl (January)|2024 ReliaQuest Bowl]] to prepare for the [[NFL draft]], finishing his college career with 16,056 total yards, the [[NCAA Division I FBS total offense leaders|sixth-highest]] in FBS history and the only to pass for 12,000 yards while rushing for 3,000.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rittenberg |first1=Adam |title=LSU's Jayden Daniels to enter NFL draft, skip bowl game |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/39141134/lsu-jayden-daniels-enter-nfl-draft-skip-bowl-game |website=ESPN |date=December 18, 2023 |access-date=January 8, 2024 |archivedate=January 8, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240108100014/https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/39141134/lsu-jayden-daniels-enter-nfl-draft-skip-bowl-game |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="12000/3000">{{cite web |title=Jayden Daniels is the first player ever to achieve these passing and rushing milestones |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/lsu/jayden-daniels-first-player-ever-with-12000-passing-3000-rushing/article_af1b7b60-810b-11ee-b3fd-9f026614d4de.html |website=[[NOLA.com]] |date=November 11, 2023 |access-date=April 14, 2024 |archivedate=April 29, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240429193800/https://www.nola.com/sports/lsu/jayden-daniels-first-player-ever-with-12000-passing-3000-rushing/article_af1b7b60-810b-11ee-b3fd-9f026614d4de.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |
||
===Statistics=== |
===Statistics=== |
![]()
Daniels with the LSU Tigers in 2023
| |
No. 5 – Washington Commanders | |
---|---|
Position: | Quarterback |
Personal information | |
Born: | (2000-12-18) December 18, 2000 (age 23) San Bernardino, California, U.S. |
Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
Weight: | 210 lb (95 kg) |
Career information | |
High school: | Cajon (San Bernardino) |
College: |
|
NFL draft: | 2024 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2 |
Career history | |
| |
Roster status: | Active |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Player stats at PFR | |
Jayden Daniels (born December 18, 2000) is an American football quarterback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played three seasons of college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils and two with the LSU Tigers, where he won the 2023 Heisman Trophy after leading the FBSintotal yards and setting the single-season passer rating record. Daniels was selected by the Commanders second overall in the 2024 NFL draft.
Daniels was born on December 18, 2000, in San Bernardino, California.[1][2] He grew up playing football, basketball, and soccer before attending Cajon High School in 2015.[1] Daniels, named the starting quarterback of Cajon's varsity team as a freshman, required a medical waiver to play due to entering high school undersized for the position at 130 pounds (59 kg).[1][3] In four seasons, he scored 211 touchdowns (170 passing, 41 rushing) and gained 17,642 yards (14,007 passing, 3,635 rushing), both CIF Southern Section records.[1][4] He also ran sprints at Cajon, participating in hurdling and the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, and 4 × 100 meters relay.[5][6]
Daniels was named the men's recipient of the Ken Hubbs Award, given annually the top high school athletes in San Bernardino, following a Citrus Belt League championship and state finals appearance as a senior in 2018.[a][4] He was invited to the 2018 Elite 11 quarterback competition[b] and participated in the 2019 Under Armour All-America GameinOrlando, Florida, throwing two touchdowns in a win.[c][7][8] Daniels, ranked the top dual-threat quarterback prospect of the 2019 college football class by 247Sports,[9] committed to play for the Sun DevilsatArizona State University (ASU).[10] He graduated from Cajon early and enrolled at ASU in January 2019.[11]
Daniels, named the starter for the 2019 season, was the first freshman quarterback to start opening week for the Sun Devils.[12] He suffered a minor knee injury in a game against the UCLA Bruins that forced him to sit the following week.[13] Daniels was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week in a Week 13 upset win against the Oregon Ducks,[d] scoring three touchdowns and passing for 408 yards.[14] He threw for 17 touchdowns and 2,943 yards on the season, the latter being a school record for a freshman.[15] He led the team to a 8–4 record and was voted MVP of the 2019 Sun Bowl in a win over the Florida State Seminoles.[16] He was later named a semifinalist for the FWAA freshman of the year award.[17]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Daniels and the Sun Devils played only four games in the 2020 season. One of the games included a 70–7 win against the Arizona Wildcats, the largest margin of victory in the history of the rivalry.[18] For the 2021 season, he led the Pac-12 in completion percentage (65.4) while throwing for 2,381 yards with 10 touchdowns and rushing for 710 yards with 6 touchdowns.[19] Daniels led the team to an appearance in the 2021 Las Vegas Bowl against the Wisconsin Badgers before finishing with a record of 8–5.[20] Due to significant coaching staff turnover following the season, in which several were fired or had resigned following a NCAA investigation into the school for COVID-related recruiting violations, Daniels entered the transfer portal in February 2022.[21]
In March 2022, Daniels transferred to Louisiana State University to play for the LSU Tigers.[22] He was named the starter over Garrett Nussmeier prior to the opening game of the 2022 season.[23] Daniels led the Tigers to a 9–3 record and an appearance in the 2022 SEC Championship Game against the Georgia Bulldogs.[24] Daniels, entering with a sprained ankle, left the game following a sack by Jalen Carter late in the second quarter.[e][24][25] He returned the following week for the 2023 Citrus Bowl, catching a touchdown pass from wide receiver Malik Nabers in a 63–7 win over the Purdue Boilermakers.[26] He finished the season as a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award after accounting for 28 touchdowns (17 passing, 11 rushing).[27][28][29]
Named a team captain for the 2023 season,[30] Daniels led the Tigers to a 9–3 record and won the Heisman Trophy among several other awards after setting the NCAA single-season passer rating record (208.0), scoring 50 touchdowns (40 passing, 10 rushing), and leading the NCAA in total yards with 4,946 (3,812 passing, 1,134 rushing).[27][31] He was the third LSU player to win the Heisman behind Billy Cannon (1959) and Joe Burrow (2019).[31] In a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide,[f] Daniels suffered a head injury and entered concussion protocol. He returned the following week against the Florida Gators,[g] setting a SEC record with 606 total yards and becoming the first player in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history to pass for 350 and run for 200 in single game.[32][33] A week later against the Georgia State Panthers, he tied a school record with eight touchdowns.[h][34] Daniels sat out of the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl to prepare for the NFL draft, finishing his college career with 16,056 total yards, the sixth-highest in FBS history and the only to pass for 12,000 yards while rushing for 3,000.[35][36]
Year | School | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | |||
2019 | Arizona State | 12 | 8–4 | 205 | 338 | 60.7 | 2,943 | 8.7 | 17 | 2 | 149.2 | 125 | 355 | 2.8 | 3 | |
2020 | 4 | 2–2 | 49 | 84 | 58.3 | 701 | 8.3 | 5 | 1 | 145.7 | 33 | 223 | 6.8 | 4 | ||
2021 | 13 | 8–5 | 197 | 301 | 65.4 | 2,380 | 7.9 | 10 | 10 | 136.2 | 138 | 710 | 5.1 | 6 | ||
2022 | LSU | 14 | 10–4 | 266 | 388 | 68.6 | 2,913 | 7.5 | 17 | 3 | 144.5 | 186 | 885 | 4.8 | 11 | |
2023 | 12 | 9–3 | 236 | 327 | 72.2 | 3,812 | 11.7 | 40 | 4 | 208.0 | 135 | 1,134 | 8.4 | 10 | ||
Career | 55 | 37–18 | 953 | 1,438 | 66.3 | 12,749 | 8.9 | 89 | 20 | 158.4 | 617 | 3,307 | 5.4 | 34 |
External videos | |
---|---|
![]() |
Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 ft3+5⁄8 in (1.92 m) |
210 lb (95 kg) |
32+1⁄2 in (0.83 m) |
9+3⁄8 in (0.24 m) | |||||||||
Values from LSU's Pro Day[37][38] |
Daniels was selected second overall by the Washington Commanders in the 2024 NFL draft.[39] He was one of six quarterbacks taken in the first round, tying the 1983 draft for the most in NFL history.[40] Daniels signed his four-year rookie contract, worth $37.75 million fully guaranteed, on June 14, 2024.[41]
External videos | |
---|---|
![]() |
Daniels was born to Javon "Jay" Daniels, a college football cornerback in the 1990s for the Washington Huskies and Iowa State Cyclones, and Regina Jackson.[3][53] He has an older sister named Bianca.[53] His paternal grandparents died from COVID-19 in early 2021.[3] In April 2024, Regina was found to have violated NCAA recruiting guidelines by booking $1,100 in flights for recruits to visit Arizona State during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.[54] He is a Christian.[55]
He grew up a fan of quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick, choosing 5 as his uniform number after the former.[56] His favorite meal to prepare is spaghetti and other types of pasta, with his favorite snack being honey buns.[57] Daniels earned an undergraduate degree from Arizona State in December 2021 and pursued a Master of Liberal Arts degree at LSU.[1][58][59] In 2024, San Bernardino mayor Helen Tran declared January 20 as Jayden Daniels Day and presented him with the key to the city.[60] At the same time, Cajon High School renamed their football stadium after him.[60]
In college, Daniels signed name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals with brands such as Raising Cane's, Powerade, Beats by Dre, and Urban Outfitters.[61][62][63] He will be featured on The Money Game, a NIL-focused docuseriesbyPrime Video that followed him, Angel Reese, Flau'jae Johnson, and Livvy Dunne through LSU's 2023–24 sports season.[64] Daniels began training using virtual reality (VR) during his 2023 Heisman season. The custom software was designed by the German company Cognilize for VR headsets and included LSU's playbook and opposing teams, with Daniels attributing it to helping him understand defensive coverages "75 to 80 percent" better by the end of the season.[65] He continued to use the technology in the NFL.[66] Daniels threw the ceremonial first pitch at a Washington Nationals game in June 2024.[67]