Former Ravens QB Robert Griffin III reveals why Jayden Daniels deserves to win Heisman Trophy: "He's the most electrifying player in all of CFB”
Jayden Daniels had a great year with the LSU Tigers, earning a Heisman Trophy nomination to show for it. But has the quarterback done enough to go on and win the coveted college football award? Former Heisman winner Robert Griffin III surely thinks so.
Griffin won the award as a Baylor University quarterback in 2011. His exploits earned him the distinction of being the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft, going to the Washington Redskins. According to the former Baltimore Ravens signal-caller, one thing separates Daniels from the other quarterbacks in the fray.
Appearing on SiriusXM's "Off Campus," Robert Griffin III talked about Jayden Daniels and his chances of winning the Heisman Trophy this Saturday:
“Listen, I called three Jaden Daniels games, Ole Miss, Missouri and Texas A&M, to close out the year. And there is no doubt in my mind that he is the most electrifying player in all of college football. The thing that sets him apart from the other two QBs is what he did on the ground. Right, having a 1000 yards rushing, 10 touchdowns, that is what pushes it over the top.
“If you are talking about why he could win it? Because his 40 touchdowns are comparable, I think it's identical to Bo Nix. And then Michael Penix Jr. had 33 passing touchdowns, but he has the most passing yards.”
Apart from the LSU Tigers QB, the other names in contention are Bo Nix from the Oregon Ducks, Michael Penix Jr. from the Washington Huskies, and, as a lone non-QB in the list, Marvin Harrison Jr. from the Ohio State Buckeyes. The award ceremony will start on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. ET from Lincoln Center in New York.
A look at Jayden Daniels' numbers in his Heisman campaign
Jayden Daniels could not guide the Tigers to any silverware this season, but he did put up some impressive numbers. The senior quarterback threw for 3,812 passing yards and scored 40 passing touchdowns in the 2023 season. However, his real strength lay in his work on the ground, with 1,134 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.
To put it in context, Bo Nix managed just 228 rushing yards this season with six rushing touchdowns. Michael Penix actually lost 18 yards instead of gaining any rushing yards in the year but had three rushing touchdowns.
The Tigers finished third in the SEC West with a 9-3 overall record. That meant they could not make it to the College Football Playoff and have a shot at the national championship title this year. But can Jayden Daniels get some individual recognition for his efforts in 2023?