A new chapter of Washington Commanders football is set to take place. During Thursday's NFL Draft, LSU star Jayden Daniels was selected by the Commanders as the second overall pick. This prompted a variety of excited reactions, one of which came from NBA legend Magic Johnson. A co-owner of the Commanders franchise, Johnson immediately put out a congratulatory tweet once Daniels was chosen by his team.
“I’m so thrilled and excited to welcome Jayden Daniels to the Commanders family!” Johnson posted on X (Twitter). “I’m looking forward to all the wins we will celebrate this season and years to come with you as our leader. I know you’ll lead our franchise not only as our quarterback, but also in the locker room and the DMV community!”
Jayden Daniels starts a new chapter
This year's draft sequence is currently unfolding similarly to the predictions. Before Thursday's events, many theorized that Daniels would end up second behind Caleb Williams and in front of Drake Maye and Marvin Harrison Jr. It's happened, with Williams getting drafted by the Chicago Bears while Maye and Harrison head to the New England Patriots and the Arizona Cardinals, respectively.
With Daniels going to DC, the Commanders will be getting a quarterback who's stamped his mark in the collegiate ranks. Daniels won the Heisman Trophy last year, tallying 3,812 passing yards on 236-of-327 (72.2%) attempts while amassing 40 touchdowns in 12 games. But that's not all. In the rushing department, the 23-year-old put up 1,134 yards and an additional 10 scores.
Daniels' versatility as both a passer and a rusher has resulted in him being the only FBS quarterback in history with at least 12,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards. Throughout his collegiate career, the 6-foot-3 standout amassed 12,750 passing yards, 3,307 rushing yards and a total of 123 touchdowns (passing & rushing combined).
The Commanders have been making moves this offseason
Now, the former LSU standout heads to a Commanders team that's been quite active this offseason. Under the leadership of new GM Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn, Washington has revamped its roster just in time for the arrival of their prized prospect. During free agency, the team bolstered their offense by signing players such as running back Austin Ekeler, tight end Zach Ertz, backup QB Marcus Mariota and center Tyler Biadasz.
Ekeler will likely share carries with Brian Robinson, giving the team a formidable RB room. Ertz will be replacing Logan Thomas while Mariota will be providing veteran presence as Daniels' backup. Biadasz' pass-protection abilities will also be a big help for the team's rookie quarterback.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Commanders acquired the likes of linebackers Bobby Wagner and Franky Luvu, defensive ends Dante Fowler Jr. and Dorance Armstrong, plus safety Jeremy Chinn.
With Jayden Daniels leading the way, Magic Johnson's team might just make a lot of noise this coming year.
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