Jayden Who? Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

First Round Mock’s William Yanish looks at one of college football’s biggest stars this season, LSU quarterback (QB) Jayden Daniels.

It seems like the 2023 season has just started and it is already the end of October.

Time flies when you’re having fun.

Alabama has been a game down for a while now and I already have almost as many write-ups done as I did last year.

This is definitely a different kind of year.

Quarterbacks are king and this draft class is flooded with them. I have it timed just about right, so when I run out of QBs, it will be time to start my final evaluations for the year.

Still have a couple up my sleeve though.

Daniels

Next up is a prospect who has been one of the best this year. At the time this article ran, he had the No. 2 rated QBR in college football (91.8). Don’t look now, but Daniels could very well be the next Heisman Trophy winner when the award is passed out in the spring.

This LSU QB is 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, and formerly of Arizona State University. Through week eight this year, he has been responsible for 25 touchdowns through the air versus just three interceptions. He also added five rushing touchdowns on the ground.

Daniel’s week five 55-49 duel versus Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart was an absolute instant classic.

The Yanish Report

Long, lean athletic body. Footwork needs more consistency. Need to see more bounce. Fast, sharp runner. Excels extending plays. Run-pass options (RPOs) are on point and designed runs are dangerous. Maintains a lightning pace. Decent timing, but needs to step it up. Old school-type mechanics. Quick, clean, and compact release. Has arm strength. Ball placement comes and goes. Accuracy? Errr. Misses high a lot. Needs to come back down to earth. Excels as his wide receivers (WRs) excel. Has an elite WR corps. Next-level level ball security. The team responds to him. Leader by nature. Concise.

For the win

Look, if he continues at the pace he’s playing at, he will likely win the Heisman Trophy. Let’s just get that out of the way.

Improvement is a must though. “Never mistake motion for action” is where Ernest Hemingway had it straight. Witnessing growth is the reason that I picked this career path for myself. That is the beauty of life.

Stats are nice, but winning is the only one that counts.

I hate it when some say QBs shouldn’t have wins as a stat. You win as a QB or you get benched. It’s as simple as that. So far, this season Daniels is 6-2.

Daniels controls his own destiny. He is mature and humble beyond his years. He is a quiet leader who will shine when NFL General Managers meet him. His physical skills are definitely catching up.

My BIG three questions

1. How strong can he finish the year going into the draft process?

2. Will he end up on a good team with good coaching?

3. Can his frame handle the punishment of the National Football League and the longer season?

How Daniels stacks up and game film reviewed

My 2024 NFL Draft Value: Third-Round

2022 Game Film Evidence (No. 5)

Mississippi State

Tennessee

Florida State

2023 (No. 5)

Missouri

Arkansas

Ole Miss

William Yanish III is a lifelong football fan. He’s from the little town of Crawford, Colorado. Along the way, he’s lived in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and Brookings, Oregon. Quarterback Joe Montana was his idol growing up. A little bit of CTE from life’s adventures killed his dreams as a football player. Now, he is an aspiring writer and Draft Analyst at FirstRoundMock.com. He’s a fanatic with a dream, which is coming true.