Is Jayden Daniels about to enter college football's most exclusive club?
The winner of the 2023 Heisman Trophy will be announced during a ceremony on Saturday night. The four finalists for the prestigious honor are LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Oregon quarterback Bo Nix and Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
But oddsmakers seem to already have a strong sense of who will hear their name called.
Daniels is a heavy betting favorite to win the award over the other three finalists. That's despite being pitted against one quarterback of an undefeated team in the College Football Playoff (Penix) and another signal caller who's flirting with the NCAA's single-season completion percentage record (Nix).
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
So, what does Daniels' Heisman résumé look like? Here's everything to know about the LSU quarterback.
What are Jayden Daniels' stats in 2023?
In his second season as the Tigers' starter, Daniels put together an incredible dual-threat performance, leading No. 13 LSU to a 9-3 finish and a New Year's Day bowl berth.
He tied with Nix for the most passing touchdowns in the nation (40) while ranking third in passing yards (3,812). And Daniels did all that while throwing just four interceptions and competing a very impressive 72.2 percent of his passes. For comparison, in 2022, Daniels passed for 2,913 yards, 17 touchdowns and three interceptions with a 68.6 completion percentage over 14 games (he's played in 12 games this season).
Daniels made a leap in the passing game in 2023 while continuing to be a game-changer on the ground, too. He rushed for 1,134 yards, the most of any quarterback in the country, and 10 scores. He's one of only 11 players in FBS history to record at least 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a single season. And for his career, he's the only FBS player ever with at least 12,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards.
Daniels had a historic showing against Florida on Nov. 11 when he accounted for a staggering 606 total yards, throwing for 372 yards and three touchdowns and running for 234 yards and two touchdowns. He became the first player in FBS history to tally at least 350 passing yards and 200 rushing yards in a game.
Where did Jayden Daniels transfer from?
Daniels spent the first three years of his college career at Arizona State. He was the No. 3 quarterback in the 2019 recruiting class behind Spencer Rattler and Bo Nix, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.
Where is Jayden Daniels from?
Daniels is a native of San Bernardino, Calif.
What is Jayden Daniels' age?
He is 22 years old.
Is Jayden Daniels a senior?
Daniels is a senior.
What is Jayden Daniels' size?
The LSU quarterback stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 210 pounds.
What is Jayden Daniels' NFL draft projection?
The 2024 NFL Draft class could feature several highly touted quarterback prospects, headlined by USC's Caleb Williams, UNC's Drake Maye and the three signal callers who are Heisman finalists.
A recent mock draft from PFF had Daniels as the third quarterback off the board behind Williams and Maye, going ninth overall to the New Orleans Saints. Meanwhile, a CBS Sports mock projected Daniels to go fourth overall to the Washington Commanders, after Williams and ahead of Maye.
