Former Commanders coach Ron Rivera said he would've picked Jayden Daniels in draft

Former Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera popped back up on television screens ahead of the 2024 NFL draft after a brief time away, working as an ESPN analyst. When asked, Rivera discussed his former team and spoke positively of former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels about the Commanders and the No. 2 overall pick.

On a new episode of the “Adam Schefter podcast,” Rivera was asked about Daniels and if studied him during his final season in Washington, knowing the Commanders would have a high pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

“Yes, during that part (of the season), you always start looking ahead and seeing,” Rivera said. “You start watching the quarterbacks and thinking, ‘God, this kid’s got it.'”

He then began talking about Daniels with the current staff in Washington.

“Because Kliff Kingsbury is there, I think that was a tremendous pick for them because that offense counts on the quarterback doing a lot and making things happen,” Rivera continued.

From there, Rivera discussed how Washington would need to protect Daniels from injury. Commanders’ fans are going to have some fun with that comment, considering Rivera’s refusal to adequately address the offensive line.

Finally, Schefter asked Rivera, if he had stayed in Washington, would he have taken Daniels second overall.

“No, that was the quarterback; I really think that was the quarterback,” Rivera said of Daniels.

Here’s the full clip: