2024 Dynasty Rookie Profile: Jayden Daniels, QB

Today we’re taking a look at Heisman Winner and ascending prospect Jayden Daniels, the quarterback out of LSU. Talented receivers surrounded him in Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers for 2023, two worthy NFL prospects in their own right. We’ll discuss what makes him an exciting and refreshing NFL prospect, and whether or not he can go higher in rookie drafts than he is currently. Of course, his NFL fit will push him in the direction that his career is destined to go. Luckily there are plenty of teams with need at this position in the 2024 draft.

Jayden Daniels (QB) LSU — Dynasty Rookie Profile

Height: 6’4

Weight: 210 lbs

Jayden Daniels transferred to LSU for the 2022 football season, then spent his last two college seasons starting for the Tigers. Overall, he had a solid first season. However, he came on stronger in his second year, throwing for 40 touchdowns and rushing for 10 more. Ultimately, becoming a Heisman winner.

Furthermore, Daniels also had an impressive completion percentage over his final two seasons, throwing 68.6% and 72.2% in his Junior and Senior seasons, respectively. Let’s take a look at some of his strengths and weaknesses on his way to the NFL.

Strengths

Arm Strength

Since his initial seasons playing for the Arizona State Sun Devils, Daniels’ arm strength has been on display. He has the arm strength to throw downfield and over the top of defenses, a necessary trait for a quarterback to have at the next level. While his career completion percentages started a bit rocky, his accuracy has improved over his last two seasons. In the end, the combined strength and precision will need to be a threat at the NFL level.

Speed

Daniels’ speed and dynamic playstyle are what allowed him to win the Heisman in 2023 and ascend onto the NFL prospect scene. He had multiple question marks while at Arizona State due to his size. However, his physical speed and arm strength were never in question. If he can prove he can run away from defenders at the next level, he’ll be up there with Caleb Williams as assets from the 2024 Draft who can take over any game. Keep an eye on Daniels this year at the 2024 NFL Combine.

Weaknesses

Leg Dependence

While Daniels does have the speed at the collegiate level to outpace defenders, we have seen limitations in players such as Justin Fields and their athleticism when it comes to the next level. While Daniels has shown passing accuracy at the college level, it’ll be important for his processing of the defense to speed up to the point where he becomes a greater threat with his arm than his legs. His athleticism will hopefully morph into a last resort where he’s able to escape defenders but is a threat with his arm first and foremost.

Slight Frame

Daniels’ initial concern coming into the college game was his slight frame, starting his career in the 170-180 pound range as a Freshman. Listed at 210 pounds for the Tigers his last season, this feels less of a concern now but still something to monitor. When it comes to these talented rushing quarterbacks, it’s important to understand just how well their bodies will hold up when taking hits. Hopefully, he puts on a few more pounds and proves his weight isn’t an issue when he measures in at the NFL Combine.

NFL Fit and Draft Capitol

Williams, Daniels, and Drake Maye all seem likely to go in the top 10 of the NFL Draft at this point in the process. They could all hear their names called within the first three picks, with QB-needy teams such as the Falcons, Bears, Commanders, and Patriots picking early in this year’s class. Daniels best fit may be a team such as the Commanders or the Falcons, two teams that need a solution at quarterback while having an assortment of weapons around them. Either way, Daniels is likely to become a team franchise quarterback, therefore finding weapons around his game is vital to success.

Dynasty Outlook

For Daniels, an acceptable and hopeful outlook fantasy outlook would be for him to maintain a high-end QB2 floor, while showing a rushing ceiling a few weeks out of the year. If he finds an offense with weapons such as Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts, Daniels could find himself joining the exciting rookie tier of Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr.

Right now, Daniels is a seemingly locked-in top 5 rookie draft pick. However, if the cards fall right for him and his upside during the draft, Williams, Daniels, and Harrison Jr. should become the top three picks during rookie season. Daniels can become a QB1 with a chance to go higher, just as we saw with a player such as Dak Prescott before his major ankle injury. Keep an eye on where he’s going in our Superflex dynasty rookie ADP.