Jayden Daniels, best rookie QB ever? How Commanders QB compares to prior rookie stars

One year ago, the Washington Commanders didn't have a head coach or a long-term answer at quarterback. The team had just finished the 2023 NFL season with the second-worst record in the league and the worst scoring defense.

Now, they're one game away from the franchise's first trip to the Super Bowl since the 1991 NFL season after a 12-5 season. The defense is improved under head coach Dan Quinn and a host of free agent additions but the biggest catalyst for the turnaround has been rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

'He is the Terminator': Is Jayden Daniels the best rookie QB of all time?

Washington selected the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft. He started from Week 1 on and led the Commanders to the No. 5 scoring offense in the regular season as a dual-threat quarterback.

But how does he compare to other great rookie quarterbacks in NFL history? Here's some context for what Daniels and Washington have achieved in their first year together.

Best rookie QB seasons in NFL history

Since 1950, 132 quarterbacks have started at least eight games in their rookie seasons. That's a lot of rookie campaigns to choose from.

We get a somewhat clear picture using quarterback rating data and Pro Football Reference's approximate value (AV) metric, which puts a single number value on a player's season. For quarterbacks, it takes into account the per-drive success of the offense and their share of the success in each of those drives.

A handful of quarterbacks are at the top of both metrics, including Dak Prescott in 2016, Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson in 2012, C.J. Stroud in 2023 and Daniels this season.

Jayden Daniels vs. the best rookie QBs in NFL history

By AV, Daniels had the best season by a rookie quarterback in NFL history. His AV of 20 ranks first out of 132 quarterbacks ahead of Cam Newton in 2011 (19). Newton's passer rating was much lower than Daniels' due to throwing 17 interceptions but he had a massive impact as a runner with 14 rushing touchdowns in his first NFL season.

The top five rookie quarterbacks in NFL history by AV are Daniels (20), Newton (19), Griffin III (18), Wilson (16) and Prescott (15).

By passer rating, Daniels' rookie season is fourth all-time at 100.1. He trails Prescott (104.9), Griffin III (102.4) and Stroud (100.8).

Rookie QBs to make conference championship game

Daniels is just the sixth rookie quarterback in NFL history to make the conference championship game. Here are the other five:

Shaun King, 1999 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

King, a second-round pick in the 1999 NFL draft, took over as the starter for Tampa Bay after starter Trent Dilfer broke his collarbone in Week 12 of the season. King started the final five regular season games and went 4-1 in that span with the league's No. 3-ranked defense.

Tampa Bay lost in the conference championship game to the eventual Super Bowl champion St. Louis (now Los Angeles) Rams.

Ben Roethlisberger, 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers

Roethlisberger was taken No. 11 overall in the 2004 NFL draft and started 13 games in the regular season, going 13-0 in his starts after taking over for Week 1 starter Tommy Maddox. Like King, Roethlisberger benefitted from a strong defense. Pittsburgh finished the 2004 season with the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL.

The Steelers' incredible season came to an end in the conference championship game in a loss to the eventual champion New England Patriots.

Joe Flacco, 2008 Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens selected Flacco No. 18 overall in the 2008 NFL draft and became the Week 1 starter after starter Kyle Boller suffered an injury and backup Troy Smith's illness. Flacco led the team to an 11-5 record and two playoff wins alongside the No. 3-ranked scoring defense in the NFL.

Baltimore lost the AFC championship game to divisional foe and eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh.

Mark Sanchez, 2009 New York Jets

Sanchez arrived in New York as the No. 5 overall pick and earned the starting role over veteran Kellen Clemens. The Jets were 4-6 after Week 11 but won five of their last six games to make the playoffs at 9-7 with the No. 1 ranked scoring defense in the league.

New York went on the road and knocked off the Bengals and Chargers before losing to Indianapolis in the conference championship game.

Brock Purdy, 2022 San Francisco 49ers

Purdy was the last pick in the 2022 NFL draft and entered the season as the team's No. 3 quarterback. Injuries to starter Trey Lance and backup Jimmy Garoppolo pushed him into the starting role in Week 14. Behind Purdy and the No. 1 scoring defense in the league, the 49ers won their final five games to secure a playoff spot.

San Francisco made the NFC championship game but Purdy's UCL injury in the first quarter against Philadelphia doomed the 49ers' chances at a Super Bowl berth.

Is Jayden Daniels the best rookie QB in NFL history?

By passer rating and AV metrics, he's had one of the five best seasons by a rookie quarterback in NFL history. But none of the other four players made it as far in the playoffs as Daniels has this season.

By playoff success, he's had one of the six best seasons for a rookie in NFL history. But the other five were all with defenses that ranked in the top three league-wide in points allowed; Washington finished the regular season 18th in points allowed.

Between individual statistics and playoff success, Daniels has an easy claim to the title of best rookie season by a quarterback in NFL history.

NFC championship game: How to watch Eagles vs. Commanders

The Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders will face off for the third time this season in the NFC championship game.

• Date: Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025

• Time: 3 p.m. ET

• Location: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)

• TV: Fox

• Streaming: Fubo, Fox Sport App, NFL+

Don't miss another NFL playoff game with a Fubo subscription

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Comparing Jayden Daniels to the best rookie QBs in NFL history