2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: LSU QB Jayden Daniels

From now until the 2024 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day Three selections and priority undrafted free agents Today, a scouting report on LSU QB Jayden Daniels.

JAYDEN DANIELS, QB, LSU (R-SENIOR) — 6-4, 210 pounds.

Senior Bowl Invite

MEASUREMENTS

THE GOOD

— Possesses good size and height for the position
— Athletic specimen at quarterback in terms of his speed and explosiveness
— Dual-threat passer who can create with his legs when the play breaks down
— Can extend plays with his legs as well as evade the pass rush by scrambling from the pocket
— A legit threat to house it anytime he carries the ball from anywhere on the field
— Gets up to full speed quickly as a runner and possesses the wiggle to make defenders miss in space
— Knows when to get down as a runner and get to the sideline to avoid big hits
— Has the arm talent to push the football down the field 50-plus yards with ease
— Throws a pretty deep ball, connecting with his pass catchers down the sideline and over the middle
— Can drop the ball into the bucket on end zone/sideline throws
— Can make the back-shoulder throw to his receivers along the sideline
— Has shown he can push the ball into tight windows over the middle
— Very capable at completing passes off platform and on the run
— Has 55 college games under his belt with two different schools
— Did a great job limiting turnovers and turnover-worthy plays at the college level
— Has grown into his body more with each season since entering college

THE BAD

— Could stand to add more weight and strength to his slender frame
— Play style could expose him to plenty of big hits at the next level
— Has good arm strength but doesn’t have impressive zip/velocity on passes over the middle
— Doesn’t consistently step into his throws in the pocket
— Relies more on his arm talent than his mechanics/footwork
— Will dance around in the pocket looking for opportunities to scramble
— Needs to have a better sense for when to step up in the pocket rather than looking to leave to extend the play
— Can be inconsistent with ball placement on deep throws, sailing passes over the head of receivers
— Doesn’t consistently use the middle of the field or the sidelines as a passer
— Accuracy can wane when feeling pressure coming down on him
— Can be more consistent scanning the field on full-field reads

BIO

— Redshirt Senior prospect from San Bernardino, Calif.
— Born Dec. 18, 2000 (age 23)
— Starred at Cajon High School, breaking several school and state records
— Threw for a CIF-Southern Section record 14,007 yards and 170 touchdowns in high school
— Added 3,645 rushing yards on 562 attempts and 41 rushing touchdowns on the ground
— Competed at Elite 11 and The Opening as well as was selected to the Under Armour All-American Game
— Consensus four-star prospect, committed to Arizona State out of high school
— Started 12 games as a true freshman in 2019, throwing for 2,943 yards, 17 touchdowns and only two interceptions along with 355 rushing yards and three TDs
— Started all four games in Arizona State’s COVID-shortened season in 2020, throwing for 701 passing yards and five TDs to go along with 223 rushing yards and four scores
— Started all 13 games in 2021 and threw for 2,381 yards and 10 TDs while adding 710 rushing yards and six scores on the ground
— Transferred from Arizona State to LSU prior to the start of the 2022 season
— Started all 14 games for LSU in 2022, leading the Tigers to the SEC Championship game, completing 266-of-388 passes for 2,913 yards, 17 TDs and only three interceptions while leading the FBS in rushing yards (885) and TDs by a quarterback (11).
— Won the Heisman Trophy in a historic 2023 campaign, completing 236-of-327 passes for 3,812 yards, 40 TDs and four interceptions while carrying the ball 135 times for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns
— Opted out of the team’s bowl game after declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft
— Heisman Memorial Trophy (2023), Davey O’Brien Award (2023), Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (2023), AP Player of the Year (2023), Walter Camp Player of the Year (2023), first-team All-American (2023), SEC Offensive Player of the Year (2023), first-team All-SEC (2023)

TAPE BREAKDOWN

LSU QB Jayden Daniels looked destined for stardom back in high school where he was rewriting the record books in the state of California, flashing as a dangerous dual threat. He proceeded to take that skill set to Arizona State, making an immediate impact as a true freshman, but still was very raw when it came to his throwing mechanics as well as his physical development, weighing in at just 175 pounds. However, he continued to develop his body and his football acumen with each year, ultimately transferring to LSU where he would go on to win the Heisman Trophy in 2023 while becoming the only player in FBS history to pass for 12,000 yards and rush for 3,000 yards in his college career.

When you pop in the tape on Daniels, you see a dynamic athlete at the quarterback position who can beat you with his legs as well as his arm. He is in the mold of the New Age dual-threat quarterback who can create for himself when the play breaks down as well as execute designed quarterback runs. On this two-play series against Alabama, we see Daniels evade the pressure in the pocket and tuck the ball as he takes off down the field. Taking the first carry toward the sideline for a big gain, he escapes out of bounds to avoid taking a big hit. On the second play, we see Daniels evade EDGE Dallas Turner coming off the edge and run the ball across the field, picking up nearly 40 yards before being wrestled to the ground.

Daniels has that rare combination of speed, burst, and elusiveness in the open field, making him a threat to take any carry to the house if he gets open grass. No better game best shows this quality than LSU’s game against Florida this season. Daniels had 12 carries for 234 yards and two touchdowns, housing carries from 51 and 85 yards.

Both plays are shown below with Daniels keeping the ball on the RPO, taking off toward the sideline where he gets the corner thanks to great blocking by his receiver, outrunning the defense to the end zone for the house call. The second carry shows Daniels scrambling from the pocket, sifting through the defense in the open field as he finds open grass, pulling the Houdini going from the pocket to the end zone in a blink of an eye.

That athleticism also allows Daniels to be comfortable moving the pocket and throwing on the run outside of it. Check out this play against the Crimson Tide where Daniels takes the snaps, surveys the field, and then proceeds to scramble to his right as he feels the defense closing in. He creates enough torque as he drives the throw on the run to his intended target, completing the pass to WR Brian Thomas Jr. for the first down.

When it comes to throwing the football, Daniels excelled in that area this past season for the Tigers, showcasing a strong, powerful arm that can push the ball 50-plus yards down the field. His deep-ball accuracy also notably improved from seasons past, Daniels placing more throws in the bucket over the intended receiver’s shoulder. Here are a couple of examples of Daniels pushing the ball down the field against the Gators. Showing good arc on the ball, Daniels would put the ball right in the breadbasket of his intended target in the end zone or along the sideline.

Daniels generates enough velocity to fit passes into tight windows over the middle of the field. Not possessing the strongest arm to thread the needle, he still has just enough strength to get the job done. Watch this play against Alabama where Daniels finds his receiver over the middle of the field. He rips the pass to his intended target, getting it to him as the defender attempts to break up the pass. The receiver then manages to break the tackle and get into the end zone.

Daniels also is capable of making throws toward the sideline, having numerous examples of back-shoulder throws on his tape, like the one shown below against Florida. He puts the ball outside his intended target, allowing his receiver to come back to the football and keeping the pass out of harm’s way of the defender in coverage.

There are some key points of Daniels’ game that he must iron out as he transitions from the college game to the NFL. One key area in which he must improve is his pocket presence as Daniels tends to get antsy feet in the pocket. Watch this play against Florida. Daniels dances around in the pocket after taking the snap, missing WR Malik Nabers, who breaks open over the middle of the field as Daniels bounces back and forth rather than calmly going through his reads. He ends up tucking the ball and running himself, using his superior athleticism to pick up the first down on an explosive play, but he lacked the pocket presence to make his read and put the ball on the open target.

Daniels also can struggle with his ball placement at times, even while he’s improved as a deep-ball passer. A lot of that stems from his mechanics and his footwork. He doesn’t consistently step up in the pocket and step into his throws, relying more on his arm talent than crisp pocket mechanics. Here’s an example against Florida. Daniels sails the intended pass over the tight end’s head, having a wide-open receiver running up the sideline but putting the ball high and outside out of bounds.

CONCLUSION

Jayden Daniels is a dual-threat quarterback who has the attributes and skill set to develop into a quality starter at the next level. He can use his legs both to run and to create out of structure while on the move while working the RPO and quick game elements of the passing game. Daniels is a capable deep ball passer, having the am talent and touch to stretch the field and take deep shots. He has room to improve his pocket presence and working the middle of the field, putting more NFL throws on tape where he makes full-field reads and picks defenses apart in the intermediate portions of the field — over the middle and toward the sideline.

When coming up with a pro comparison for Daniels, Lamar Jackson is the closest from a measurables and skill-set perspective, the two having similar size, athleticism, and arm talent. Jackson possesses a little more zip as a passer, but both have capable arms that can attack opposing defenses when on the move as well as in the pocket. Both also have that coveted quarterback mobility to create when the play breaks down or be utilized on designed runs to put defenses in a bind, having the capability of beating them with their arms as well as their legs.

The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in an interesting position when it comes to the quarterback position heading into 2024. Kenny Pickett hasn’t shown much development in his first two seasons in the league while third-string quarterback Mason Rudolph has been the man leading the charge the last several weeks, getting Pittsburgh into the postseason.

Should the Steelers decide that Pickett isn’t the answer and look to find their new potential franchise quarterback, Daniels would provide that ceiling you desire at the position as the dual-threat quarterback Pittsburgh sees on a yearly basis with Jackson in the AFC North. Pittsburgh would likely need to trade up to secure Daniels and have him sit like Jackson did to start his career until he’s ready to execute a full NFL playbook. An offensive coordinator would have to mold his system around Daniels to be successful, but Baltimore has shown us what doing so can look like with Jackson. If Pittsburgh wants to take a shot on upside at the position, Daniels could very well be that guy.

Projection: Day One
Depot Draft Grade: 8.7 – Year 1 Quality Starter (First Round)
Games Watched: at Alabama (2023), vs Florida (2023), vs Mississippi State (2023)