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Jayden Daniels is processing the Commanders’ playbook ahead of schedule, head coach Dan Quinn said. (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)
ASHBURN, Va. — Jayden Daniels watched as head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters approached him.
Quinn opened his palm and told the Washington Commanders rookie quarterback: “We’ve got something for you.”
Inside Quinn’s palm weren’t yet the proverbial keys to the franchise.
Rather, Quinn handed Daniels a key to access … well, the Commanders’ facilities. All day. Every day.
“Twenty-four hours,” Quinn told Daniels. The quarterback smiled.
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Daniels knew Quinn’s decision to hand-deliver exactly one key fob spoke to more than a rounded piece of black plastic. This fob symbolized the work ethic — the process — that catapulted Daniels from a good college football player to the Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall selection of the 2024 NFL Draft.
This was about the 8, 9, even 10 p.m. throwing sessions Daniels had organized with LSU receivers last spring, their meetups prompting LSU’s coaching staff to update Daniels’ fingerprint access to ensure around-the-clock entry.
Late nights soon became early mornings, Daniels consistently arriving to the film room at 5 a.m. to study his opponents’ strengths and weaknesses and his own; to consider how he should attack and how he should anticipate being attacked.
Daniels’ completion percentage ticked up from 68.6% in 2022 to 72.2%, his production exploding from 17 touchdowns and 3 interceptions to 40 and four.
see you at Training Camp 🤩
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) June 14, 2024
Early mornings worked for Daniels. Why stop now?
“Going through that experience and coming out the other end with more success probably ignited something in him that proved that hard work is worth it,” Quinn told Yahoo Sports during a recent sit-down. “Jayden found out, in his own way, [that] there’s a whole other place…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/commanders-arent-rushing-to-name-jayden-daniels-the-starter-that-doesnt-mean-daniels-hasnt-already-started-working-like-one-165517682.html
Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2024-06-19 16:55:17
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