It's still easly in his career, but Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels already looks like a future superstar. He's completed a league-leading 75.3% of his passes at an average of 8.5 yards per attempt, with 6 touchdown passes against just 2 interceptions. He's also rushed for 322 yards (at an average of 5.1 yards per carry) and four additional scores.
He is, after six weeks, leading the NFL in expected points added per dropback, according to Tru Media -- ahead of even the reigning NFL MVP, Lamar Jackson, who ranks second. Jackson got an up-close-and-personal look at Daniels on Sunday when the Commanders visited the Baltimore Ravens for their Week 6 game.
Baltimore prevailed, but Daniels acquitted himself quite well: He went 24 of 35 for a career-high 269 yards and two scores without being intercepted. Jackson out-dueled Daniels in the passing department (20 of 26 for 323 yards, 1 touchdown and an interception on a deflected pass) and on the ground (11 carries for 40 yards compared with 6 for 22 yards for Daniels), but he still came away impressed with Daniels -- just as he had been all season leading into the game.
After the game, Jackson was asked if the Daniels hype motivated him to perform against the rookie's team.
"No, I believe [Daniels] deserves all the hype he's getting," Jackson said, via Pro Football Talk. "He played a tremendous game out there. They just came up short. He's been proving it. His rookie season -- first six games he's been playing amazing."
Jackson, of course, is correct. Daniels has been amazing thus far. And the game he played against the Ravens is one of his most impressive yet, even if his team came out of it on the losing end. The sky is the limit for a player with Daniels' skill set and Jackson appears to recognize that already.
