Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jayden Daniels is the NFL's top young QB, and Commanders know it's obvious

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By David Harrison | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 7:00 PM ET

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will turn 25 this December, giving him just one more year after 2025 to be ranked among the NFL’s ‘young quarterbacks.’

It just so happens that his last year of eligibility on a list of quarterbacks 25 years old and under also coincides with the last season he has to play before he and the Commanders can negotiate an extension to lock him into the franchise beyond his rookie deal.

Given his one year of play so far and the early signs of his second-year potential, that deal is likely to be a big one. That rookie performance as a 23-year-old is exactly the catalyst that provides future outlooks like his in Washington, and puts him at the top of Sports Illustrated’s quarterbacks under 25 list for 2025.

'Isn't It Obvious?'

“Isn't it obvious?” SI.com writer Mike Kadlick asks. “Jayden Daniels is already a bona fide superstar at just 24 years old. The 2024 No. 2 pick turned the Commanders from a 4-13 team to a 12-5 one in just a single offseason, throwing for 3,500+ yards and 25 touchdowns while rushing for six more. He then led Washington on an impressive playoff run before an NFC championship game to their division rival Eagles.”

While Daniels was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, it didn’t take him long to surpass the No. 1 overall pick, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. A primetime Hail Mary win over Williams’ Bears, with a rib injury suffered the week prior, only cemented that, regardless of the other guy’s future, the Commanders got the right guy for their franchise.

Williams hits this list at No. 7, while Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers), C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans), Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars), Drake Maye (New England Patriots), and Bo Nix (Denver Broncos) fill in the gap.

A Record-Breaking Rookie

In his rookie season, Daniels set NFL records for the most combined passing and rushing yards (4,459) and touchdowns (31) by a first-year quarterback, including the playoffs.

He also became the first rookie to post a 3,500+ passing yards and 750+ rushing yards season.

Chasing History in Year 2

He’ll need to increase his offensive yards output by about 800 yards to top the sophomore list of total offense, led currently by Patrick Mahomes (5,198 yards of total offense in 2018). Mahomes also accounted for 52 passing touchdowns that year.

The current leader for total offense in NFL history through two seasons is Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers), and Daniels needs 5,233 yards in 2025 to grab the top spot there.

Those are two big hills to climb for the Commanders’ second-year quarterback, but given his performance in year one and the fact that he’s entering year two looking much further ahead in the process of being ready for the year, it would be unwise to bet against his ability to stay ahead of the pack when it comes to relative quarterback production.