Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is coming off a superb rookie season that has elevated him into the upper echelon of quarterbacks in the NFL.
Now, we aren't crowning Jayden yet as we only have one season of tape to work with, but there is no denying the Commanders nailed their selection in the draft last year.
A 12-5 regular season, two playoff wins, and an NFC Championship appearance is a good start to life as an NFL quarterback. Such was Daniels' year; many are earmarking him to reach elite status in 2025.
Is that too much of a high bar? Not likely based on what he produced last season, and for ESPN's Dan Graziano, he thinks that Daniels could possibly be in the MVP discussion next season.
"The second pick of the 2024 draft, Daniels was a revelation as a rookie, leading the Commanders all the way to the NFC Championship Game," Graziano writes. "Washington added Laremy Tunsil at left tackle and Deebo Samuel Sr. at wide receiver. It kept the coaching staff together.
"And it now enters Daniels' second season with high hopes to go even further. (Not that there's much further it could go!) Will the league figure out Daniels in Year 2, or will he build on his historic rookie season and establish himself as one of the NFL's elites right away?"
Now, we only have to look at Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud last season to see that rookie success doesn't carry over to the next year.
But can Daniels maintain his high level of play? That will be the aim. However, defenses now have a full offseason to study Daniels' game to within an inch of its life, working out his tendencies and identifying areas where he struggles.
So there will be some challenges for Jayden in Year 2, and the big question will be how he reacts. Stroud found things difficult, so Daniels might as well.
Or, he might thrust himself squarely into the MVP conversation.
