‘Impressed’ Louis Riddick claims rookie Commanders QB Jayden Daniels will ‘take that town by storm’

Riddick pointed out that Daniels is a student of football and studies all the aspects of the game thoroughly.

‘Impressed’ Louis Riddick claims rookie Commanders QB Jayden Daniels will ‘take that town by storm’

ESPN analyst Louis Riddick predicted Jayden Daniels to succeed with the Washington Commanders (Image via IMAGO)

Louis Riddick has complete faith in Jayden Daniels to have a successful rookie season with the Washington Commanders. New head coach Dan Quinn wasted no time removing Sam Howell after his appointment with the second overall pick in toe.

Washington’s new owners wanted a fresh start, and adding a Heisman Trophy winner to the team was just the onus they needed. Daniels has impressed the Commanders’ coaching staff with his presence of mind and accurate passing.

During Wednesday’s episode of NFL LIVE, ESPN analyst Louis Riddick claimed that he is super excited to watch Jayden Daniels.

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It’s hard to not get super excited. [And] I think everyone knows how I feel about him, how he accepted the challenge at LSU, mastered it, and became the Heisman Trophy winner.
Louis Riddick said

The Commanders have a very young offense compared to other teams in their division. Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson last season showed that on their day they can be devastating for any defense.  

28-year-old McLaurin was the pick of the bunch for the Commanders in 2023. He racked up 79 catches for 1002 yards (4th consecutive 1000 yards season) and 4 touchdowns. Dotson on the other hand had a respectful 49 catches for 518 yards and 4 touchdowns.

The Commanders further made some additions through the draft.

They drafted Ben Sinnott out of Kansas State, who’s a fantastic athlete and tight end. And then they got Austin Ekeler.
Louis Riddick added

Signing 8-year veteran Austin Ekeler was a shock but a smart move from the Commanders. The 29-year-old’s contract with the Chargers ended and Washington was the first to reach out to the running back who had 179 carries for 628 yards and 5 touchdowns along with 51 catches for 436 yards and 1 touchdown in 2023.

Jayden Daniels’ success depends on the Commanders offensive line

One of the main reasons for the Commanders releasing Sam Howell was the amount of sacks he had to endure last year. The North Carolina graduate endured a league-high 65 sacks which gave away 449 yards to the opposition.

'Impressed' Louis Reddick claims rookie Commanders QB Jayden Daniels will 'take that town by storm'
Former LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels (Image via IMAGO)

However, the underlying problem wasn’t Howell but the offensive line which new head coach Dan Quinn identified and was quick to act on it. They got rid of left guard Saahdiq Charles, starting center Nick Gates, and his backup Tyler Larsen along with starting left tackle Charles Leno Jr.

The winter clean suggested that Quinn wants to protect Jayden Daniels at all costs. To create full proof O-line the Commanders signed center Tyler Biadasz, guard Nick Allegretti, and center Michael Deiter. In addition, they brought back longtime swing tackle Cornelius Lucas.

The line will be taken care of by new coach Boby Johnson who replaced Travelle Wharton and Juan Castillo. Riddick added that the new changes will benefit Jayden Daniels.

He’s got some help. And a developing offensive line. So those things kind of have to work around him.
Louis Riddick said

Quinn has been satisfied by what Daniels has shown him in the past month of training.

What I saw on the field was pretty much exactly what we saw [in pre-draft tape]… He works hard.
Dan Quinn said in May

Riddick emphasized Quinn’s words.

He puts the ball exactly where it needs to be put [and] can throw with touch, can throw with velocity. He is a student of the game. And he is someone, I think, most importantly that the players gravitate towards already. They want to be around him. They want to do better for him. That's pretty damn cool. He is going to take that town by storm as everything else around him goes with him. I have 100% confidence in that.
Louis Riddick said

Daniels has all the tools present for him to surprise the NFL. He is regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in recent years. During his last season with LSU, he threw for 3,812 yards, and 40 touchdowns with a completion rate of 72.2%, along with 1,134 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.

The Commanders start their 2024 journey with a trip to Florida. They will play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 8.

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