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Why wasn't Jayden Daniels the No. 1 pick? Revisiting 2024 NFL draft

nick brinkerhoff, usa today
·4 min read

Jayden Daniels is a rookie in name only.

The Commanders' quarterback has starred all season long in the nation's capital, helping revitalize a franchise that had been on life support for years. Despite the one-off years of Washington success, the results were inconsistent at best until Daniels arrived.

Now the likely rookie of the year has his crew on the doorstep of a Super Bowl appearance. He's not the first rookie quarterback to reach this point, but he could be the first one to get beyond it.

The Commanders' new regime has unlocked what promises to be a bright future. Josh Harris, Adams Peters, Dan Quinn, Kliff Kingsbury and Daniels have formed an ownership, general manager, head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterback quintet that most NFL teams can only dream of having.

And they didn't even need the draft's top pick to get it.

Here's a look at why Daniels was the second and not the first pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

MORE: Is Jayden Daniels the best rookie QB of all time? Dan Quinn says, 'He is the Terminator'

Why wasn't Jayden Daniels the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft?

The term "generational" gets handed out like candy in the modern day, which is exactly how many looked at USC's Caleb Williams, who the Bears took with the top pick. He was the prince that was promised, seemingly locked into the top spot over a year before his eventual coronation on the draft stage.

Williams starred at Oklahoma and USC, thriving under Lincoln Riley's tutelage.

The same can't be said for Daniels, however.

Three seasons at Arizona State and his first season after transferring to LSU didn't help his draft stock, leaving the signal caller looking like a Day 3 pick. That meant Daniels had a lot of work to do entering his last season at LSU.

He delivered with 40 touchdowns and only four interceptions. Daniels won the Heisman, capping off his collegiate career in style.

That wasn't enough to shift the narratives ahead of draft day though. Williams ended up going first, but Daniels' meteoric rise finished with him landing in the second spot of the order.

Jayden Daniels vs. Caleb Williams stats

Here's a look at the stats comparison between Daniels and Williams in their rookie seasons:

Daniels

  • Record: 12-5

  • Comp%: 69.0

  • Passing yards: 3,568

  • Touchdowns: 25

  • Interceptions: 9

  • Rushing yards: 891

  • Rushing touchdowns: 6

Williams

  • Record: 5-12

  • Comp%: 62.5

  • Passing yards: 3,541

  • Touchdowns: 20

  • Interceptions: 6

  • Rushing yards: 489

  • Rushing touchdowns: 0

Record aside, Daniels and Williams aren't that far off. The former owns the better completion percentage and posted more rushing yards, but it's not like Williams is chucking the ball to the defense every other play.

It's only natural that both players will be evaluated by their team's performance and Daniels is undoubtedly the winner here. However, Washington has been clearly elevated thanks to a solid coaching staff, something Chicago didn't have the benefit of.

The Bears had arguably the better roster, one that was picked to be a breakout team this year. Instead they fired Matt Eberflus after Thanksgiving and bottomed out. New head coach Ben Johnson will be tasked with getting the most out of Williams, but it's clear he has a lot of room for improvement.

From the eye test standpoint, Williams still takes too many sacks for holding onto the ball too long. He still needs to speed up his internal clock, but he was going through 2024 mostly alone.

Daniels didn't have that problem, even though it's obvious that he's elevated his team in ways that rookies don't typically do. The dual-threat quarterback is on the fast track to superstardom.

After one year, it's clear that Daniels is the better quarterback. Careers aren't measured in one year and things change quickly.

Washington comes out as a clear winner right now. Whether Chicago joins them in the near future remains to be seen.

MORE: Decades of despair to sheer delight: The saga of a Washington Commanders fan

2024 NFL draft quarterback class

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why wasn't Jayden Daniels the No. 1 pick? Revisiting 2024 NFL draft