History of Jayden Daniels in Timeline

Jayden Daniels is an American football quarterback for the Washington Commanders. He played college football for Arizona State (2019-2021) and LSU (2022-2023), where his dual-threat abilities led to a Heisman Trophy win in 2023. He led college football in total yards and had 50 total touchdowns that season.

1959: Billy Cannon's Heisman Win

Billy Cannon was the first LSU player to win the Heisman Trophy, doing so in 1959.

1983: Record Number of QBs Drafted in First Round

The 1983 NFL draft saw a record number of quarterbacks taken in the first round, a record tied by the 2024 draft when Daniels was drafted.

1991: Commanders' Last NFC Championship Game Appearance Before Daniels

The Commanders had not appeared in an NFC Championship Game since 1991, before Jayden Daniels led them there in his rookie season in 2024.

December 18, 2000: Birth of Jayden Daniels

Jayden Daniels was born on December 18, 2000.

2014: Tress Way's Jersey Number

Tress Way had worn the number 5 jersey for the Commanders since 2014 before Daniels acquired it.

2015: High School Freshman Year

Daniels began his high school football career at Cajon High School in 2015, starting on the varsity team as a freshman despite being undersized.

2016: Sophomore Season Injury

During his sophomore season in 2016, Daniels broke the little finger of his throwing hand but continued to play.

2017: State Record for Total Yards

In 2017, Daniels set a state record with over 6,400 total yards during his junior season, leading his team to a league championship and state finals appearance.

December 2018: College Commitment

Daniels committed to Arizona State University in December 2018.

2018: Second CBL Championship and Ken Hubbs Award

As a senior in 2018, Daniels led his team to another league championship and received the Ken Hubbs Award, given to top high school athletes in the San Bernardino area.

January 2019: Enrollment at ASU

Daniels graduated from Cajon High School and enrolled at ASU in January 2019.

2019: College Football at Arizona State

Jayden Daniels began his college football career at Arizona State University in 2019, starting as a true freshman and setting a freshman total yards record.

2019: Joe Burrow's Heisman Win

Joe Burrow became the second LSU player to win the Heisman in 2019.

2020: Shortened Season Due to COVID-19

The 2020 football season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Daniels and the Sun Devils playing only four games.

2021: Las Vegas Bowl Appearance

Daniels led the team to an appearance in the 2021 Las Vegas Bowl.

2021: Pac-12 Leading Completion Percentage

In 2021, Daniels led the Pac-12 in completion percentage.

February 2022: Enters Transfer Portal

Daniels entered the transfer portal in February 2022 after several ASU coaches were fired due to an NCAA investigation.

March 2022: Transfer to LSU

Daniels officially transferred to LSU in March 2022 and was later named the starting quarterback.

2022: Transfer to LSU

Jayden Daniels transferred to Louisiana State University (LSU) in 2022.

2023: Heisman Trophy Winner

Daniels won the Heisman Trophy and other player of the year awards in 2023, leading college football in total yards and setting an FBS single-season passer rating record.

2023: Citrus Bowl Victory and Team MVP

In the 2023 Citrus Bowl, Daniels contributed to a significant win against Purdue, even catching a touchdown pass. He was also named the team's MVP after a successful season.

June 14, 2024: Signing with Washington Commanders

Daniels signed his rookie contract with the Washington Commanders on June 14, 2024.

2024: Preparation for NFL Draft

Daniels opted out of the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl to prepare for the upcoming NFL draft.

2024: Record-Breaking Rookie Season in the NFL

In 2024, Daniels had a historic rookie season with the Washington Commanders, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year, making the Pro Bowl, setting several records including most rushing yards by a rookie QB, and leading the Commanders to a successful season.