There was an air of anticipation among the Washington Commanders for Saturday's preseason opener against the New York Jets, as No. 2 overall draft pick Jayden Daniels was set to make his (unofficial) NFL debut at MetLife Stadium. Not only did he shine during his brief time on the field, but he also marked the occasion with a special gift for his mother, who was present for the game in the first row behind the end zone.
After leading the Commanders' offense into the red zone, Daniels converted a third-and-goal opportunity by effortlessly rushing into the end zone for a touchdown. Immediately afterward, he tossed the ball to his mother, a gesture she appreciated judging by her reaction:
As part of Washington's successful scoring drive, Jayden Daniels called an audible on a third-and-six play, resulting in a 42-yard completion to Dyami Brown. While speaking during the broadcast, Washington offensive lineman Sam Cosmi made it clear he was particularly impressed by the play, via Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.
“He made a check mid-play,” Commanders offensive lineman Sam Cosmi explained. It turned out to be a big gain. … We bunkered down and really went in there. He was calm and collected, which is what you want to see, and it was really impressive. We all sat on the sideline and we were like, ‘Dang, that was really fun.' So, I think everybody should be very excited just from that little sneak peek right there. I know I am, I know I am, I know the guys are fired up. I think we got a dude back there.”
The Jets would ultimately prevail in today's game, winning by a 20-17 final score.
Jayden Daniels was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft
A native of San Bernardino, California, Daniels achieved athletic success in football, hurling, and relay sprinting, earning the Ken Hubbs Award, given annually to the top high school athletes in the area.
He would begin his college career with Arizona State University in 2019 before eventually transferring to LSU in March of 2022. He would finish with an impressive total of 16,056 yards, the 6th most of any player in FBS history, and was considered by many analysts to be a top-10 NFL Draft selection.
Daniels was selected by the Commanders with the No. 2 overall pick, making him one of six quarterbacks chosen in the opening round—the most since 1983. Shortly afterward, he signed his first professional contract, worth a guaranteed $37.75 million over four years.
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