Jackson State Tigers' defensive back Robert McDaniel (3) stands for the alma mater after beating the Southern Jaguars in Jackson, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Commanders' UDFA proving 'it doesn't matter where you come from'

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By David Harrison | Last updated May 11, 2025 11:30 AM ET

There is a belief in today's NFL world that talent, no matter where it is, will be discovered. Teams like the Washington Commanders spend countless hours trying to find that talent.

The rise in small school players making big names for themselves is no accident. On the Commanders' roster right now there are players who come from big-name institutions like Ohio State, sure, but there are also players like running back Austin Ekeler who started his NFL career after playing for little-known Western State as an undrafted free agent.

Of course, by the time Washington brought Ekeler in he was an established pro, but in the case of Jackson State safety Robert McDaniel, he's looking to follow the path others like him have taken before. After a standout career that made him an HBCU star, there's reason to believe he could be next.

"It doesn't matter where you come from," McDaniel said in an interview with Kyle T. Mosley of HBCU Legends On SI. "Having guys like Shannon Sharpe out of Savannah State, Jerry Rice out of Mississippi Valley, Walter Payton, Robert Brazile coming from Jackson State. These guys paved the way to show you that legends don't always have to start from big schools."

The first step for McDaniel was landing with a team following the NFL Draft. After impressing the team during the numerous workouts and meetings he participated in, the Commanders inked the defensive back to a three-year undrafted free agent deal, making him a strong candidate to get a real opportunity to impress.

Judging from some of his other comments shared by Mosley, he isn't planning on wasting a single day he has in Washington.

"90% of your life is 99% of the things in your life that are out of your control, but it's the other 10% of how you respond," McDaniel believes. "You must continue to stay positive with everything you do and control your situation."

As Commanders fans continue to wonder who might fill the role vacated by Jeremy Chinn when he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason, McDaniel is one of the players who passes the eye test for doing so.

Of course, he'll have to earn that opportunity alongside teammates like Dominique Hampton and Tyler Owens, among others. But then, challenge and competition has never phased McDaniel before.

So while many will count out the UDFAs of the world, there are those who make an impact every year. And if you're looking for one that might do it for Washington, McDaniel might just be him.