Pat McAfee has noticed something “weird” about Jayden Daniels. Something the Washington Commanders maybe should be concerned about after taking the LSU quarterback with the second-overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
Barely seconds after the Commanders had sent Daniels’ name to the stage, McAfee voiced his concern on “The Pat McAfee Show.” It’s a familiar concern, but McAfee still felt the need to point out, “he’s got a weird elbow, though.”
McAfee’s concern prompted show personality ‘Mad Mel,’ played by co-host Ty Schmit, to jokingly caution this is a great pick “if his (Daniels’) elbow doesn’t explode within the, you know, next five years.”
This isn’t the first time the state of Daniels’ elbow on his throwing arm has been raised as a potential issue. The Heisman Trophy winner even felt the need to publicly shut down social media chatter about it back in March.
Jayden Daniels Has Dealt With Elbow Questions Before
A viral image of his elbow, posted by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on March 27, started a minor online frenzy about Daniels’ durability.
The chatter soon prompted Daniels to post on X on March 29: “my elbow is perfectly fine .. stop the cap!!”
While Daniels was firm in his rebuttal to the doubters, speculation about his longevity had been rife. So much so, Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post spoke with Chief of the Division of Sports Medicine at NYU Langone Orthopedics, Dr. Laith M. Jazrawi, about the possible extent of any ailment.
Jazrawi stated Daniels “has olecranon bursitis.” Significantly, Jazrawi also reassured reporters it’s possible to “play the whole season with it because it’s generally not that painful.”
That’s great news for the Commanders, who would surely have done their homework researching every aspect of Daniels’ medical profile. Ultimately, general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn felt comfortable enough using a prime pick on a potentially transformational dual-threat playmaker.
Commanders Seized True QB1 in Draft
The Commanders entered this draft needing a genuine game-changer at football’s most important position. Daniels fits the bill after throwing 40 touchdown passes and topping 1,000 yards rushing for the Tigers in 2023.
While he can gash defenses in multiple ways, Daniels’ first task will be expanding a passing game long on potential, short on results. Fortunately, the 23-year-old graded higher than any college quarterback for throws of 20-plus yards, according to PFF Commanders.
That level of arm talent will make it easy for Daniels to form a prolific rapport with gifted wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. Daniels has already declared himself a fan of the Commanders’ receiving corps.
A Daniels, McLaurin and Dotson trio should stretch the field freely this year, provided the rookie signal-caller heeds some advice from Bill Belichick. The six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach told McAfee about Daniels, “a lot of his throws come outside the numbers. He’s very fast, he’s an excellent runner and scrambler. I think he’s going to have to learn to stay in the pocket and read coverages and throw the ball, but he’s capable of doing that.”
Belichick’s optimism about Daniels mastering any learning curve is more good news for the Commanders. The franchise needs this pick to end a calamitous carousel at quarterback that’s lasted nearly a decade.
Daniels has the tools to make big plays early. He’s also confident enough about how his throwing arm will handle the rigours of the pros.
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