Everything special about Jayden Daniels manifested for the first time in the NFL over 5.3 seconds on the night of Sept. 23. It was his third game; he was on the road against a supposed heavyweight; he was dueling a superstar whose heavy shadow he had not been able to escape for the previous two years.

The Washington Commanders have made many changes to go from a four-win team to three wins away from winning the Super Bowl, but none have been more impactful than drafting quarterback Jayden Daniels with the No.

If the Commanders’ rookie quarterback seems especially poised, that’s by design. His father drilled it into him at an early age.