Commanders' Daniels: 'I ain't a star QB yet'

Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is dialing down the hype ahead of his debut season with the Washington Commanders.

"I ain't a star quarterback yet," Daniels said Wednesday. "I got a long way to go. I'm a rookie."

Daniels added: "I just want to go out there and learn how to be a pro, and that's probably the biggest (learning) gap. ... Having a routine, the playbook, stuff like that, and I'm just trying to soak up as much knowledge as possible."

Washington selected Daniels with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The organization is optimistic that the 23-year-old can stabilize the quarterback position after several years of turmoil.

Daniels' teammates have praised the quarterback's attitude ahead of his debut campaign.

"I don't think I've had a young quarterback that has come in and, within the first week, he's like, 'Hey, can we (practice) this route?' or 'Let me get this rep after practice,'" said receiver Terry McLaurin on Tuesday. "It's exciting for me because that opens the door (to communicate)."

The Commanders haven't posted a winning record since 2016 and haven't won a playoff game since the 2005 season. New head coach Dan Quinn will be tasked with both turning the team's fortunes around following last season's 4-13 mark and helping Daniels evolve into the face of the franchise.

Daniels said he doesn't feel any additional pressure despite the fan base's high expectations.

"I'm just out here doing my job. 'How can I help the team get better each and every day?' - that's what I'm focused on," Daniels said.

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