There aren't many flaws in Jayden Daniels' game and that fact is a big reason why he was drafted by the Washington Commanders with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
One concern, however, was Daniels' proclivity to take hits, especially unnecessary ones. No one wants to see their star quarterback, especially a Heisman winner, get hit, at all. Much less on a play where it can be avoided.
It's even more concerning when considering Daniels' size. He last measured up at 6-foot-4, 210-pounds and while that's bigger than your average male, it's on the smaller side of the spectrum when placing it in the context of NFL size.
"I mean, [it's] just knowing when you can take your chances and when you can't," Daniels told reporters after Sunday's practice after he was asked how he can balance explosive running plays with getting down when needed.
"Live to see another play. It's a long season, so you try to err on protecting yourself and if the chance is there, you go ahead and take it."
It's certainly something he's working on with his coaches. The key is figuring out how to best choose the right spots. One of the reasons Daniels is so electric is because of his legs. You don't want to limit that, but you also want him around for the long haul - both in the 2024 sense and the foreseeable future.
"Me, I'm very competitive, so I might try and take a chance, here and there," Daniels said. "You know, they try to say 'Get down', so it's trying to fight that battle."
It's not just Daniels' coaches working with him, though, his teammates know what's up. Especially veteran running back, Austin Ekeler. Obviously, a running back such as himself has taken just about every single hit a player can take in an NFL career and he is not shy about letting his teammate know to get down whenever he can.
"We say our philosophy is, 'Hey, let the runners run, let the throwers throw, you know, and every once in a while, if you have a gap, get your ass down,'" Ekeler told CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones in a recent interview. "You're not built like we are to take hits. It's a lot different than college...
"... It's one of those things where I think it's going to take time to kind of learn, because him as a football player he [plays] the way he plays, and he's going to have to adjust just like everyone goes through an adjustment coming to the NFL."
So far, reports say Daniels is having a very good camp and is progressing in all the right areas. His teammates and coaches have backed that up, also, as they continue with the development plan that was established months ago.
"He's been picking up the offense. He's been showing some leadership skills, talking to individuals," Ekeler said. "He talks to me after certain routes about, 'Hey, what did you see here?' Or 'Hey, I'm gonna keep coming to you with that.' I love to hear those types of comments from him. As a rookie, it takes a while to really get their feet underneath them and feel comfortable leading, and so he's been taking steps towards that.
"He's been running a lot with the first group out here making great throws, and continuing to push forward through some things that he'll learn through, and so I'm excited for him [and] excited for our club because of that."
If Daniels can limit the hits and continue his progress, then it's almost a sure bet we'll see plenty of plays that remind everyone why he not only won the Heisman, but was a top-2 draft pick.
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