Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has a massive spotlight chasing him to the NFL.
So it goes after winning the Heisman Trophy and coming off the board second overall.
But unique to Daniels’ situation is the similarities to a former Washington second-overall pick and Hesiman Trophy winner by the name of Robert Griffin III. It’s a comparison that came up from The Athletic’s Ben Standig when examining the biggest training camp question for each team:
“This isn’t the first dual-threat, Heisman Trophy-winning rookie QB drafted second overall to come through Washington this century. Say whatever you want about Robert Griffin III’s career, but the 2012 OROY wasn’t helped by the organization’s persistent chaos. Daniels arrives amid a wave of positivity following an ownership sale and new football leadership.”
As Standig goes on to note, there are some concerns about the depth of receiving weapons around Daniels and—perhaps more importantly—questions about the offensive line in front of him.
Even casual fans aren’t unfamiliar with RGIII’s fate in Washington after that breakout, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year showing in 2012.
Yet if things go well, that will be the only point of comparison before long. There is reason to believe that the presence of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, a No. 1 wideout like Terry McLaurin and a deep stable of running backs can help along Daniels—to the point some are predicting he outperforms No. 1 pick Caleb Williams.
