Jayden Daniels Announces Return to Arizona State
Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Jayden Daniels an important decision to make.
Following his third season at Arizona State, Daniels was eligible to enter the 2022 NFL Draft and realize his dreams of going pro.
There was debate among Arizona State fans and the NFL Draft community as to what Daniels should do. After a season where Daniels' play dropped considerably (10 touchdowns, nine interceptions and only five games with 200 or more passing yards), all eyes were on a quarterback who is known to have talent, but was not able to capitalize in a crucial season.
On Thursday morning, Daniels took to social media to announce his decision to return to Arizona State.
Daniels entered Arizona State as a freshman in 2019 as one of the highest ranked recruits in program history, eventually becoming the first true freshman to ever start at quarterback for the Sun Devils.
Daniels' athletic prowess and rocket arm flashed almost right away, generating real excitement for ASU's future on the offensive side of the ball.
However, after COVID limited the 2020 season to only four games, all pressure was on Daniels to deliver in 2021, something he (and the rest of the team) ultimately failed to do.
At times, Daniels looked off in his ball placement, with a noticeable difference in decision-making.
This was supposed to be the year where everything came together for Daniels. Instead, his regression on the field was noticeable.
However, the talent is still undeniably there, while flashing on occasion and reminding everybody at Sun Devil Stadium exactly why there was hype around him coming out of high school.
This year, Daniels hit a career passing milestone at Arizona State while also once again proving his worth running the ball.
From an NFL perspective, Daniels' frame (6-foot-3, 180 pounds) is concerning for a quarterback coming out. Daniels will need to add muscle to his overall physique and improve on things such as footwork, accuracy and overall consistency in the pocket if high-pick dreams are to be achieved at the next level.
However, Daniels now returns to Arizona State for one more season, looking to capitalize on more time at the college level to ready himself for Sundays.
With the transfer portal as open as ever and ongoing NCAA investigations, nobody is quite sure what the future holds for Arizona State.
Yet we do know Daniels will be at the helm for the Sun Devils for one more season.