LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels was selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday evening.

This pick comes after weeks of speculation about whether Daniels or North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye would go to the Commanders at No. 2 overall. In the end, it’s Daniels who will become the franchise QB in Washington.

Daniels was not necessarily a high-profile NFL Draft target entering the 2023 college football season. He checked in at No. 11 on Saturday Down South’s ranking of the top-25 SEC NFL Draft prospects entering the 2023 campaign. Rather, he exploded onto NFL radars with a remarkable season that saw him win the 2023 Heisman Trophy.

Daniels led LSU to a 9-3 record despite the Tigers finishing the year with one of the worst defenses in the SEC. Daniels threw for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions in his memorable campaign with LSU.

Of course, Daniels’ presence as a runner is a big reason why he was drafted in this spot. In his final season of college ball, Daniels went for 1,134 yards and 10 more scores on the ground. He’s widely-regarded as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks to enter the NFL in recent memory.

Daniels spent 5 seasons in college football before turning pro. The first 3 years of his collegiate career came at Arizona State, but he transferred to LSU ahead of the 2022 campaign and quickly earned the starting job.

Daniels becomes the first quarterback out of LSU to be selected in the top-5 since Joe Burrow went No. 1 overall in 2020. He joins Burrow and JaMarcus Russell as the only former LSU quarterbacks to be drafted in the 1st round this century.

LSU is expected to have multiple 1st round picks on Thursday night in addition to Daniels. Receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. are both expected to go in the 1st round, and Nabers could rise as high as the top-10.

Want to bet on LSU’s 2024 campaign? Several Louisiana online sports betting apps have already posted LSU’s regular-season win total for the 2024 season. Don’t miss out on the action during the offseason!