Jayden Daniels captured the attention of football fans all over the country with his historical Monday Night Football debut. The former LSU quarterback, who won the Heisman Trophy just last year, has looked great through his first three games as an NFL signal-caller with the Washington Commanders.
Daniels threw his second passing touchdown of the night in the closing minutes of a 38-33 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, and that 27-yard pass went to star receiver Terry McLaurin. In a viral moment on the sidelines, McLaurin urged Daniels to keep targeting him in the future.
“You feel me,” McLaurin told Daniels. “I’ve got your back … Just keep doing that, that’s a great ball. One on one.”
Jayden Daniels could unlock the best version of Terry McLaurin
McLaurin has displayed elite speed and athleticism during his first five seasons in the NFL, and the talented wide receiver is always a matchup problem against one-on-one coverage.
However, years of instability at the quarterback position and minimal pass-catching talent around McLaurin have robbed Commanders fans of the ultimate breakout for the 29-year-old receiver.
Daniels could change that.
Right now, McLaurin is on pace for the best single-season catch percentage of his career at 66.7%. As Washington’s rookie quarterback continues to grow chemistry with McLaurin and the rest of his skill players, fans should be optimistic about the future of the franchise — both short-term and long-term.
Daniels, the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, is carrying the weight of a franchise on his shoulders. You wouldn’t know it watching him play though.
