We finally hit a lull in the college football offseason, with most of the media coverage of each team’s transfer classes having ended. While fans wait to see and hear what happens with their teams during spring training, major media organizations are starting to revisit their old ideas for faithful content.
ESPN’s Bill Connelly had some fun Friday morning with his ranking of the 100 best college football quarterbacks of the 2000s, which, as expected, included former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels at No. 20.
October 14, 2023; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States; LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) warms up before a game against the Auburn Tigers at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports
Daniels, much like another legendary LSU quarterback who was on ESPN’s list, took a while to get going. He had a relatively unceremonious career through 2022, but in his final collegiate season he took the country by storm. Daniels led the No. 1 offensively in the country in 2023, averaging 45.5 points per game, more than a point ahead of the nearest team. He won the AP Player of the Year Award, the Davey O’Brien Award, the Heisman Trophy, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, the Manning Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
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Daniels’ final college season didn’t feature the same level of team success as some of the other quarterbacks named by ESPN on their roster – largely due to a Tiger defense that class 106th among FBS teams in ESPN’s defensive efficiency rating and dead last in the SEC — but his 2023 season was spectacular on an individual level.
The former Tigers’ ranking seems fair, placing him behind Andrew Luck, Matt Leinart and Jameis Winston, respectively. He finished ahead of several other top quarterbacks of his era, including Bryce Young (21), CJ Stroud (22), Tua Tagovailoa (23) and Caleb Williams (24).
While it’s disappointing that Daniels wasn’t able to enjoy the team success he deserved during this incredible 2023 season, it’s good to see the media giving him the respect he deserves.
This article was originally published on LSU Wire: Where LSU football’s Jayden Daniels ranks in ESPN’s CFB QB rankings
