Former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel broke down the footage of the six first-round rookie quarterbacks in their preseason debuts on Tuesday’s episode of The Athletic’s Scoop City Podcast.
Grade: A
Stats: 4-7, 95 yards (1 carry, 13 yards)
He appeared to have spent five to seven years in the NFL. It was just amazing. He was incredibly composed, cool, and peaceful. For him, the occasion was not too huge. He did twenty plays; I understand. What impressed me the most, though, was how he felt and how I saw him in the movie.
Grade: A-
Stats: 11-17, 188 yards, 2 TD, INT (2 carries, 18 yards)
Editor’s note: The Vikings have since announced that McCarthy will undergo surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee.
He threw the interception across the middle early and late. In fact, I am relieved that happened to him since I believe it calmed him down. The amount of work he was doing at the line of scrimmage caught my attention. We already knew he was really intelligent, but at the line of scrimmage, he was signaling and switching plays from runs to passes. He was positioning the men in the proper formation. That kind of thing makes me think, “Man, that was impressive.”
Grade: B+
Stats: 15-21, 125 yards, TD (3 carries, 17 yards)
He threw the interception across the middle early and late. In fact, I am relieved that happened to him since I believe it calmed him down. The amount of work he was doing at the line of scrimmage caught my attention. We already knew he was really intelligent, but at the line of scrimmage, he was signaling and switching plays from runs to passes. He was positioning the men in the proper formation. That kind of thing makes me think, “Man, that was impressive.”
Grade: B
Stats: 9-16, 104 yards
I felt he was quite good. Though he did not appear to be as at ease as Caleb Williams, I would like to point out that he was throwing terrific deep balls during the game, which is what he is known for. It truly amazed me what he was capable of.
Grade: Incomplete
Stats: 2-3, 45 yards (1 carry, 3 yards, TD)
He only made nine snaps in play. The pass into the bread basket on the right sideline with a dime was the major highlight. “Just put gifts down the chimney from Santa,” we would say to a receiver sprinting down the sideline, and that is precisely what he did. A small present coming down the chimney. However, if I were the Commanders, I would not allow Jayden Daniels to play in any more preseason games. All he appears to be is smaller than his weight recorded at the combine. If someone were to knock him down, he would not know how to back away or defend himself.
Grade: Incomplete
Stats: 2-3, 19 yards
He had an unpolished appearance. He had some difficulty under center, but it is too early to say because there were just six snaps. To be honest, Joe Milton outperformed him since Milton had more playing time.
(Top photo: Rich Barnes / Getty Images)
