The most valuable player in college football has several connotations in college football’s NIL age. Off the field, Arch Manning and Shedeur Sanders earn higher earnings and interest on the free market. LSU’s Jayden Daniels climbed from 57th to 11th On3’s NIL Valuation Ranking. Name brand recognition is the only thing keeping it out of the top 10.
Daniel’s breakthrough is proof that he has fulfilled the potential he displayed as the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback prospect in the nation at Southern California’s Cajon High School. After three up-and-down seasons at Arizona State, Daniels entered the transfer portal and landed at LSU where he immediately hit a groove he never found as a Sun Devil. In Daniels’ first year under center, LSU racked up 6,344 yards — the second-highest total in school history, behind the 8,526 yards accumulated in 15 games heading into the 2019 natty. This year, Daniels has attempted 115 fewer passes, but has already eclipsed his 2022 yardage total and nearly doubled his touchdown production without a significant upgrade in turnovers. If the season ended today, Daniels would owns the third highest passer rating in FBS history, between Mac Jones in 2020 and Joe Burrow’s 2019 milestone season.
Daniels is the straw that fuels LSU’s drink, but defensive lapses shut LSU out of the playoff race and simultaneously lowered Daniels’ Heisman chances, but his total package made him more money through improved draft positioning than his upgraded NIL value. If that sounds familiar, that’s because it’s a similar path to the one forged a year earlier by Hendon Hooker as college football’s most celebrated late bloomer. Hooker is already out of sight and out of mind these days, but he is also rated as a first round prospect before tearing his ACL last November. After transferring from Virginia Tech in 2021, Hooker lit up the SEC sky for Tennessee by connecting with 58 touchdowns to five interceptions in two seasons and led an offense that led the nation in scoring.
Daniels hit the same notes a year later, except he’s two years younger and significantly more dangerous outside the pocket. Daniels has the LSU offense floating on cloud nine and by almost every measure, Daniels is the most valuable quarterback in college football. He leads the nation Bill Radjewski’s opponent-adjusted EPA per play. Is it too esoteric? Let’s talk about splash plays. Caleb Williams and Michael Penix are considered the most dynamic playmakers in the country. They are responsible for 55 and 57 plays of 20 plus yards or more, respectively. Daniels leads the nation by a football field with 76 such plays. Most impressively, he looked like Hendon Hooker on wheels as he ran nearly 1,000 yards.
Against Florida, Daniels rose to a higher level. By the time he was done roasting the Gators, he had boarded another plane in the record books by being the first player to throw for 350 yards and rush for 200 in a single match. For added measure, he also chipped in with five touchdowns. His 85-yard end zone scamper Saturday was the Heisman moment he’s been searching for since arriving in Baton Rouge. That is if the Heisman was actually awarded to college football’s best player instead of the most productive quarterback on a top-5 team. Daniels would run away with it, too, as the driving force behind the most explosive offense in the country. Daniels’ Midas touch has the Tigers ranked third in scoring offense, first in third down conversion rate, first in total offense, sixth in passing yards per completion and first in passing efficiency. They are even a top-10 rushing offense whose leader is one of the most efficient quarterbacks of all time.
If it weren’t for a toothless LSU defense that soiled themselves every week, they would be sitting comfortably in the national championship hunt. Alas, their defense entered the week outside the top 100 in rushing defense, sacks, tackles for loss, third-down percentage and red-zone scoring percentage. Harold Perkins, last year’s freshman phenom, was inexplicably moved to inside linebacker for the opener and was a symbol of the Tigers’ defensive mismanagement.
A head injury suffered during the fourth quarter of their matchup with Alabama left Daniels one touchdown short of Burrow’s streak record of three. But it was also an example of the breakdown LSU’s offense undergoes when Daniels isn’t on the field. He’s no miniature fitter either. He’s a lanky 6-foot-4, just like Hooker, and can easily complete passes over the middle, making him even more enticing. Daniels was a hidden gem in plain sight. But that’s all about to change.
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