Prospect Preview: Could Jayden Daniels be the Saints franchise quarterback?

Derek Carr’s future in New Orleans isn’t certain following a fairly lackluster season. The Saints should look into investing in the position, even if the chosen quarterback isn’t going to play right away. One exciting quarterback prospect that many Saints fans have their eyes on is Jayden Daniels.

Daniels is coming off of a season at LSU where he was the Heisman Trophy winner. It isn’t likely that Daniels will be there at 14 when New Orleans is on the clock, even though PFF’s mock draft simulator is starting to have him fall there. The Saints might have to trade up to get Daniels if they really want him. If they think that Jayden Daniels is their franchise quarterback then they should go and get him.

Should Saints trade up for Jayden Daniels?

Jayden Daniels was outstanding for LSU this past season. He threw for 3,811 yards, 40 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. Daniels is a major dual-threat quarterback in addition to having a great arm. He rushed for 1,134 yards and an additional 10 touchdowns. Scoring 50 touchdowns in a season is something that not many people can do. That's the first thing you see while watching tape on Daniels. He has incredible mobility and is elite at throwing on the run. Daniels can look like he’s in trouble then use his legs to escape and get a huge gain. He is amazing at turning nothing into something. 

Jayden Daniels uses his legs a lot but he still has a great arm. According to ESPN, he had a 95.6 QB rating, which is the highest in the nation. Daniels is an amazing deep-ball thrower. He has great accuracy and puts it perfectly where his receiver has the best chance at it. He does struggle at times with his velocity on easier throws, giving defenders time to respond. This should improve as he gets stronger in the NFL. 

If the Saints do like Daniels, and they think he will be their franchise quarterback, then they should do everything they can to get him. If he does fall to 14, which PFF’s mock draft simulator thinks is very possible, then it would be an amazing pick. Even if Daniels doesn’t start immediately next year, he would still be a great pick. The jury is still out on Derek Carr and it would be wise to invest in the position for years to come.

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