Booger McFarland's Bold Take on Commanders' Jayden Daniels
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Last season, Jayden Daniels put the NFL on notice by putting together a strong rookie campaign for the Washington Commanders. As he prepares for year two, one analyst is very confident in the young quarterback's trajectory.
It did not take long for Daniels to prove to the world why the Commanders were smart to select him No. 2 overall in the 2024 draft. He came out of the gates strong, throwing for over 3,500 yards and racking up 25 touchdowns in the regular season.
Behind Daniels' impressive play, Washington picked up 12 wins and punched their ticket to the playoffs. The rookie QB then went on to lead them to upsets over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions before falling short against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Based on how he played as a rookie, Daniels is now a player many are excited to see take the field in 2025. Despite only entering his second season, one former player has set high expectations for the Commanders' QB. During an appearance on "NFL Live" this week, Booger McFarland touched on the idea of Daniels helping Washington emerge as a contender.
Jayden Daniels #5 of the Washington Commanders throws a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter in the NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field.
Jayden Daniels #5 of the Washington Commanders throws a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter in the NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field."They know as long as he stays healthy and everyone around him does their part, he makes that next jump," McFarland said. "We're not just talking about a team that can get into the playoffs, you're talking about a team that could have one of the elite quarterbacks in the National Football League. And when you have one of those guys, that gives you an opportunity to win a championship."
.@AdamSchefter and @ESPNBooger talk about how Jayden Daniels and the Commanders are building toward a championship 📈
"We're talking about Washington being a model NFL franchise. ... This is the type of universe we're now living in." pic.twitter.com/f0Yr3qTgGv — NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) June 4, 2025
These are big shoes to fill for a player in just their second season, but Daniels could be ready to make such a leap. Having led the franchise to a pair of playoff wins as a rookie, he seems poised to be a pillar for the Commanders for years to come.
One thing that will be different this time around is Daniels understands what he's heading into now. With a year of experience under his belt, he had a full offseason to work on parts of his game that need to improve at the pro level. With this understanding, the former No. 2 pick should be ready to take another step forward in 2025.
Washington understands the talent they have in front of them and wasted no time upgrading the cast of players around Daniels. Their biggest splash was acquiring Deebo Samuel from the San Francisco 49ers.
All the pieces are in place for Daniels to lead the Commanders up the ranks in the NFL. Only time will tell if the dynamic QB is able to remain on the path towards stardom and avoid a sophomore slump.
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