Jayden Daniels wowed HC with impromptu decision in preseason debut

Second overall pick Jayden Daniels made an impressive debut for the Washington Commanders on Saturday, so much so that head coach Dan Quinn didn't mind that the rookie went over his head to complete one of the day's top plays.

On the opening drive, Daniels connected with wideout Dyami Brown on a 42-yard pass, but he didn't run the play that was called, instead choosing to call an audible at the line. Following Washington's 20-17 loss to the New York Jets, Quinn confirmed that the rookie made the move without "permission," though he wasn't upset, but wowed by the Heisman Trophy winner.

"I think on that one he wanted to ask for forgiveness and not permission and then throw an absolute dime over the top to Dyami," Quinn said via Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports . "I think it probably illustrates, for him, the awareness and check and things that go into it."

After the game, Daniels told Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post that the audible came from instincts learned during training camp. He revealed that the original play called for a screen pass, but after seeing the defense's alignment, he did what came naturally.

"Everybody's within five yards of the line of scrimmage, so it was pretty much going to be a dead play," Daniels said. "So, I just checked it and gave my guy a chance to make a play."

It turned out to be the right call. The third-down completion kept the Commanders' drive alive, allowing Daniels to cap it off with a three-yard rush for a touchdown seven plays later.

Daniels took the field for only one drive on Saturday, but he made the most of his time, completing 2 of 3 passes for 45 yards while also scoring with his legs. Meanwhile, he showed the Commanders that he's already seeing the game like a starter, which is a good sign for a quarterback who's only played a handful of preseason snaps.