Former LSU Quarterback Jayden Daniels in the Middle of Historic NFL Rookie Campaign

LSU’s Jayden Daniels has made an immediate impact in the NFL, with the No. 2 overall pick already showing potential to become a top star in the league. His walk-off Hail Mary against the Chicago Bears in Week 8 put his athleticism on full display, and win the following week has the Commanders in the NFC East lead with a 7-2 record.

Daniels has demonstrated the ability to be the face of the franchise in Washington, and he could join an elite group of rookie quarterbacks to make an immediate impact on the league. However, he’ll have high standards to live up to. 

1. Cam Newton

Cam Newton carried massive expectations out of Auburn when he was taken as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and his rookie season delivered in a big way.

Newton threw for more than 4,000 yards, but more importantly, had no difficulty finding the end zone. His elite athleticism was on prime display, rushing for 14 scores while throwing for 21. This was a rookie record for touchdowns, and it was enough to help him win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year alongside earning him a Pro Bowl selection. It wouldn’t be long before the Carolina Panthers would find themselves in a Super Bowl as a result of his play.

2. C.J. Stroud

The Houston Texans missed out on the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft when they won the final game of the 2022 season. The Panthers snagged Alabama’s Bryce Young first overall, so the Texans took C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State second. It ended up being a blessing in disguise.

Stroud was elite in his rookie season in the league. He started 15 games, throwing for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns with just five interceptions. Stroud also rushed for three touchdowns, and was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He averaged nearly 274 yards per game through the air, and gave Houston a quarterback of the future. 

3. Robert Griffin III

The 2012 second-overall pick in the NFL Draft was another athletic quarterback who lit up the scoreboard through the air and on the ground.

Robert Griffin III led a high-tempo offense at Baylor, then took his style of play to Washington. He posted a perfect 158.3 passer rating in his first game, which was a strong indicator of what was to come that season. He notched 27 total touchdowns, seven of them rushing. He won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and also made the Pro Bowl on 3,200 passing yards.

4. Andrew Luck

Being the guy to follow up on Peyton Manning’s tenure in Indianapolis was no easy task, but Stanford’s Andrew Luck was up to the challenge. He was the consensus top pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, and he delivered on his potential.

While there were growing pains with 15 interceptions, he showed outstanding leadership as a rookie. Luck’s 4,374 passing yards and 23 touchdowns helped turn Indy into an offensive threat, and he took them from 2-14 to 11-5. He set the rookie passing record, and would go on to have a productive (but short) career with the Colts. 

5. Dan Marino

Dan Marino was a late first-round draft pick by the Miami Dolphins, and he would develop into one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. The promise was shown early in his career, taking the reigns as a rookie. 

Marino replaced David Woodley as quarterback midway through the season, earning the starting job under center by midseason. He posted 20 touchdowns with just six interceptions, and helped lead Miami to 12 wins. Marino finished third in MVP voting, winning the following season. 

6. Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys fans don’t have much love lost for Dak Prescott these days, but his rookie season in 2016 was nothing short of electric.

Prescott was a fourth-round pick who won the starting job after injuries to Tony Romo and Kellen Moore, and was thrust into the limelight. He excelled, compiling 29 touchdowns on 3,667 passing yards. The Cowboys went 13-3, with Prescott being named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and being selected to the Pro Bowl. 

7. Russell Wilson

The Seattle Seahawks signed Matt Flynn to a big contract to be their starting quarterback for three years, but he’d never get that opportunity. Third-round pick Russell Wilson won the starting job out of camp, and he would go on to become a franchise great.

Wilson tied the NFL record for touchdowns by a rookie with 26. His dynamic play, full of athleticism, helped lead Seattle to a postseason appearance and even notched a win over Washington in the NFC Wild Card round. The Seahawks would leverage his rookie campaign into a Super Bowl win the following season. 

8. Justin Herbert

Justin Herbert had high potential to become one of the NFL’s next great big-arm quarterbacks when the Los Angeles Chargers took him sixth overall in 2020. Herbert didn’t crumble under the Los Angeles lights, emerging as one of the NFL’s most promising young stars. 

He passed for 4,336 yards, tossing 31 touchdowns and rushing in five. He set the rookie record for touchdown passes, and won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Herbert completed two-thirds of his passes, posting a 62.6 QBR.

9. Ben Roethlisberger

The 2004 NFL Draft class was loaded with quarterback talent. Eli Manning was taken first overall by the Chargers before being shipped to the Giants. Philip Rivers was selected fourth, and sent to New York in return. But perhaps it was the Pittsburgh Steelers who struck gold, with Ben Roethlisberger going to the Steel City.

Roethlisberger began his rookie year 13-0, proving to Pittsburgh he was its franchise quarterback of the future. He won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, tossing 17 touchdowns and taking the Steelers to the AFC Championship Game. They finished the regular season 15-1, and would win the Super Bowl the following season on an even better season from Big Ben. 

10. Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield joined a long list of Oklahoma quarterbacks to jump to the NFL when he was taken first overall in the 2018 NFL Drafts by Cleveland. Though his run wouldn’t last long, he was impactful immediately.

Mayfield lit up the league with 27 passing touchdowns, setting a new NFL record for rookie touchdowns. He broke a 19-game winless streak for the Browns, as they had been winless the previous season. Mayfield had 3,725 passing yards, and showed a remarkable amount of leadership for a rookie. 

11. Matt Ryan

The Atlanta Falcons were searching for the quarterback of the future in 2008, and they found one in Boston College’s Matt Ryan. The Falcons took him third overall, and he responded in a big way. 

Ryan threw for 3,440 yards and tossed 16 touchdowns. His first pass in fact set the tone, throwing a 62-yard touchdown out of the gate. He turned the team around, with them going from 4-12 the previous season to 11-5 and clinching a playoff spot. He was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and he would be their starting quarterback for more than a decade to come.