Jayden Daniels has seen his draft stock rise rapidly over the past several months, but there is one aspect of the former LSU star’s game that may need tweaking if he wants to enjoy a successful NFL career.
Simply put, Daniels needs to learn how to slide. Some videos have circulated on social media recently that show situations where the quarterback could have easily avoided hits from defenders but instead welcomed the contact. You can see several examples below:
Only thing that scares me about drafting Jayden Daniels. He needs to learn how to protect himself. He will not last taking these types of hits in the NFL. This can easily be corrected. #Raiders #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/G1TynEsaHF
— Optimistic Raider (@planetraider) January 21, 2024
One viral post on X characterized Daniels as looking like a Looney Tunes character after being hit hard and battling for additional yards against Ole Miss this season.
Jayden Daniels biggest flaw is being prone to looking like a Looney Tunes character every time he gets hit https://t.co/AEHSyKp4G9
— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) January 23, 2024
There are several methods NFL quarterbacks use to protect their bodies. The most visible is slipping before being hit. However, there are some techniques to bend your body and absorb touch when it occurs. Tua Tagovailoa went to tremendous lengths last summer to learn how to fall properly so he wouldn’t get injured so frequently.
Daniels has a habit of trying to run past opponents and even stand up straight before taking a huge hit. This is a recipe for disaster in the NFL.
According to a recent rumor, Daniels could be selected in the NFL Draft far sooner than many expected. NFL teams are undoubtedly sure that they can teach him to play smarter.
