There has been a lot of talk about the 2024 NFL Draft being a strong year for quarterback talent. However for a lot of the 2023 season, the only consensus first-round picks have been USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye. Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy has received some first-round buzz as well, and in speaking with some NFL team sources this week, they see the potential for McCarthy to end up in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft. Another player who some sources think could be a first-round pick next April in the 2024 NFL Draft is LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels has been on fire in 2023, putting up huge numbers for the Tigers. While the opinions at other teams could and probably will vary, sources from two franchises said they see a future first-round pick in Daniels.
In his fifth season of college football, Daniels has been dominating defenses, completing 71 percent of his passes for 3,164 yards, 30 touchdown passes and only four interceptions. On the ground, he has 918 yards and eight touchdowns. Daniels put together huge games against Florida, Auburn and Ole Miss. He also showed some impressive ability in the losses to Alabama and Florida State. Last year in his first season at LSU after transferring from Arizona State, Daniels completed 69 percent of his passes for 2,913 yards, 17 touchdowns and three interceptions. He ran for 885 yards and 11 scores that season.
Listed at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Daniels has NFL size to go along with a good arm, mobility, athleticism and speed. His ability to ad lib his team into big plays is very desirable for pro teams, and Daniels has shown an ability to carry his team. Every year, quarterback prospects rise and fall during the draft process, but at the end of the college football season, sources from two NFL teams think Daniels is likely to be a first-round pick next April in the 2024 NFL Draft.
