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Jeremy Fowler decided to leave Jayden Daniels off his top 10 NFL QB list ahead of this upcoming season. Do you think Jayden Daniels was snubbed or does he have a lot to prove this year?
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00:00Anytime, guys. Thanks for having me.
00:02Yeah, so you've been super busy with this list of not only the top 10 quarterbacks,
00:07but all position players that you've been releasing starting July 6th.
00:11You still have the wide receivers and safeties to be released in the next couple days,
00:15but there's been a lot of talk about the top 10 quarterbacks list
00:19where you pick the brains of scouts, executives, coaches throughout the NFL.
00:24You rank the top 10 quarterbacks in the league.
00:27Jaden Daniels did not make that top 10.
00:30Talk about the list, how long it took to compile,
00:32and are you getting blowback from fan bases like the Commanders
00:36and other that didn't make the top 10?
00:39Are Jags fans mad that Trevor Lawrence made honorable mentions?
00:43Same with Baker Mayfield, et cetera.
00:46Yeah, certainly some pushback.
00:48So I spend a good two to three months on the project.
00:50I start with quarterbacks because it takes the longest.
00:54And then I go, once I get into it in late May and then throughout June,
00:58it's every three days or so, I send out a pool of players for people around the league
01:04to rank for me, and then I create a composite ranking and go from there.
01:08And as for the fan bases, yeah, certainly my mentions were on fire yesterday,
01:13but it depends on the fan base.
01:14You know, Jalen Hurts, the Eagles fans are not happy about him being essentially 17th.
01:19But, you know, Washington fans are not happy.
01:22Jordan Love, I got a lot of pushback on him, deservedly so.
01:24I think he's just kind of always been under the radar
01:26and never really been considered in the upper echelon,
01:29even though he probably deserves it.
01:30So, you know, some of that.
01:32Not as much with Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars, I think.
01:34The fan base is not as rapid.
01:36Okay, understood.
01:37Any of them surprise you, like sort of in the top 10?
01:43As far as quarterbacks that appeared in the top 10?
01:45Yeah, or they didn't and you thought probably should have in your eyes.
01:51Well, I mean, Jaden's one.
01:52I would say the hardest part of the exercise I do with these positions
01:58is when you have a log jam for the last spot, right?
02:01Because the 10 spot means more than an honorable mention.
02:04And literally, Sam Darnold, Caleb Williams, Jaden Daniels, Jordan Love were tied.
02:11And, like, in different ways, but their formula, their composite ranking
02:16worked out right around the same.
02:18So I had to break ties and just kind of figure it out.
02:21How'd you do that?
02:22And just decide who I thought was best.
02:24Well, I called, like, some people I trust, kind of run through the quarterbacks.
02:29I'll check with, like, some higher-ranking people, like a couple GMs,
02:32and just say, hey, here are four I have.
02:34How would you stack these four?
02:37Or, like, sometimes I go back to, like, the quality of the votes.
02:41If one guy has more top five votes than others, you know,
02:45or I see where the votes came from, you know, like, okay,
02:48this guy got high votes from these people that I know are really,
02:52really good evaluators, things like that.
02:54So, and, you know, it depends.
02:56Sometimes you – I like getting coordinators because they're game planning
03:01for one side of the ball, and if they just say, hey,
03:04this guy's such a matchup problem, he's a nightmare for us.
03:07Like, that weighs a little more.
03:09So, I kind of create a lot of factors that way.
03:12But anyway, those guys were all tied.
03:14And Jaden Daniels was five last year, and then he drops to 12.
03:19So, you know, the exercise is sickle for sure.
03:23And I think there's some bias with Jaden Daniels about durability.
03:28If you thought coming into the draft in 24 that that was a problem for him.
03:32Right.
03:33So, last year was confirmation bias a little bit.
03:36Fair or not, but I think that does come into play with some voters.
03:39But he's clearly, when healthy, a top-ten quarterback based on ability.
03:43So, those are tough.
03:44Jordan Love is a big snub.
03:46And Sam Daryl just won a Super Bowl and didn't make it.
03:48You know, those four at the 10th spot, along with Caleb Williams,
03:53they were all going to be snubbed when they didn't make it.
03:55You know, you can't argue it.
03:57I mean, Jaden was off a tick last year.
03:58Wasn't healthy.
03:59The surrounding cast wasn't healthy.
04:01You know, it was a bit of a disaster.
04:03That's why he doesn't even want to talk about it.
04:04So, I can't complain.
04:05I mean, it is what it is.
04:06I assume that if he has a healthy year, he'll be right back in the mix.
04:10He'll be a top-five guy.
04:12But I'm wondering, and then when I'm reading the quotes, I mean, the quotes are glowing.
04:16Especially considering coming off such a mediocre year last year.
04:19Were there any negative quotes on Jaden?
04:25You know, I'm trying to think back and think of, like, who I was texting with and what they might
04:32have said.
04:32I mean, I think when I was stacking the four quarterbacks that I mentioned,
04:36some who didn't have Daniel's high would just say, like, hey, he wasn't really a problem for us,
04:40or he didn't scare us in that way.
04:42I think part of the issue last year, and a byproduct of that is,
04:46he just didn't seem as explosive because he was coming in and out of injury.
04:50So, he maybe wasn't the normal dual threat that he would be.
04:55You know, I was at that Green Bay game last year.
04:57I think back to that game.
04:58And he just didn't look like the guy I was expecting when I watched it live.
05:03So, you get some of that, you know.
05:05But not a major pushback on Daniels or Jordan Love.
05:08A lot of those comments were glowing.
05:11Yeah, I would say, I'm even trying to think back.
05:14You get more pushback on, like, Justin Herbert because of some of his flaws.
05:18Right.
05:20You know, Caleb Williams because he's so erratic.
05:22Right.
05:23But the talent and the upside is so good and the traits.
05:26So, you get some of that.
05:27It's a mix.
05:27But not really with Daniels.
05:29He really, as far as playing the position, is clean.
05:33You know, and I think that's why when it's all said and done,
05:36these 2024 draft quarterbacks, which are shaping up to be a pretty legendary draft class,
05:42I still think he could be the top guy.
05:43But just because of how he plays the position, decision-making,
05:47goes to his reads, feel, accuracy, touch, like, he's pretty unique in that area.
05:53Talking to Jeremy Fowler, senior NFL writer at ESPN.
05:57He's got the 2026 quarterback rankings, but you guys ranked all the positions.
06:01I'm wondering when you're talking to the GMs and the coaches and the scouts and everybody that you talk to,
06:07the executives, where do they see Washington's overall talent?
06:11Because I think in these top 10 lists, they only had Laramie Tunsil in the top five at his position.
06:17I don't think anybody else made a top five for sure.
06:22What's kind of the consensus around the league talent-wise where Washington is right now?
06:27Yeah, that's a tough proposition because I'm looking at the entirety of my project.
06:32I think Laramie Tunsil is going to be, I don't want to give too much away,
06:36I think Tunsil is going to be the only guy to make a top 10 from Washington,
06:39which, you know, is problematic a little bit to have one marquee player.
06:43Now, I think Terry McLaurin, coming off the year he did with the holdout
06:48and maybe not getting on the same page and in the flow of the game,
06:52you know, maybe he could have made more of a run at the top 10,
06:54but there just aren't a lot of marquee guys there.
06:56Now, I do think the roster has gotten better as a whole.
06:59I like the free agent ads.
07:01I really like Chig, the tight end.
07:03I think he's going to help a lot.
07:04You know, Dafa gives them pass rush.
07:07They made some good moves, you know.
07:08It's just, is it enough?
07:10You know, Frankie Louvoo, linebackers came out today.
07:14You know, he was kind of more in that honorable mention range.
07:16And, you know, the year before he was five.
07:18So, it's a fickle exercise.
07:19I think the roster is not considered top end,
07:23at least based on my research and work on this project.
07:26But certainly better than last year, I would say, overall.
07:30It's got better depth.
07:32It's got, you know, more strength top to bottom.
07:36But, look, they got old in some spots last year,
07:38and it's going to take at least a year to replace that.
07:40Jeremy, you tweeted yesterday, at JFowler ESPN,
07:44that at least five teams have been checking in on Stephon Diggs
07:47nearly two weeks out from camps.
07:50Can you give us more insight on that?
07:51I know in the video you mentioned both the Commanders and the Ravens,
07:55both local teams for Diggs, for where he grew up here in the D.C. area,
07:59could be attractive landing spots.
08:03Yeah, so, you know, Washington is certainly on the radar for a receiver.
08:08It's been hard to identify which one.
08:10It's kind of been a moving target.
08:12You know, I think the Brandon Iyuk ship has sailed, I think.
08:15I mean, I'll never say never.
08:17Maybe he can sort of rebuild his image here a little bit in the next few months.
08:20But it looks bigger than football at this point with some of what's going on there.
08:24So I'd be surprised if Adam Peters went that route.
08:27The problem is, in talking to some people there,
08:31I get the sense that they really would like a speed guy.
08:33You know, they got Antonio Williams and Lane, I believe.
08:38Some of the young guys can play in the slot a little bit.
08:41And they got McLaurin, who can still run.
08:43But you could use another outside speed guy.
08:46But there's not much out there in free agency.
08:48Like, Diggs at this stage is, I think he can still be really productive,
08:52but he's not a burner, you know.
08:54And I've heard Washington implicate the Keenan Allen a little bit
08:57over the last few weeks, but it sounds like nothing's going on there.
09:00So maybe that perks up.
09:02But, you know, he's more of a true slot at this stage.
09:04So it's interesting.
09:05Like, they've been linked to some receivers, but nothing firm.
09:09So, you know, at the end, Adam Peters is still kind of operating in the shadows here.
09:13We'll see.
09:13I still think they could add somebody.
09:15But Diggs would love to be in Washington.
09:17I mentioned Baltimore mostly just because they –
09:20that would be a Baltimore signing, Stephon Diggs,
09:24somebody who's been in the league but sort of a retread at this stage.
09:26Like, they seem to lean on those kind of receivers with Anquan Bolden in the past
09:31and DeAndre Hopkins recently.
09:33So that would fit the mold in that way.
09:35What are your expectations from the New York Giants with the new coach,
09:40you know, guys who's had success basically every season, won a Super Bowl.
09:44What can you expect in New York this season?
09:49Well, you can expect improvement in part because they kind of found an identity
09:52last year running the ball.
09:53I mean, they were fifth and rushing.
09:55The offensive line finally came together.
09:57It had been a long time.
09:59So I think because of that, they'll be well-positioned
10:01and they can protect Jackson Dart a little bit.
10:03I think they are hoping he runs when he needs to and not because he wants to,
10:08you know, so he can protect himself a little bit.
10:10But they still don't want to take away his flair for playmaking.
10:13So it'll be interesting.
10:14I think they're going to run the ball a lot, though, with Scadaboo and Tyron Tracy
10:17and those guys.
10:18And, you know, receiver is still an issue there.
10:20But they got some pieces.
10:23It's not a bad roster.
10:24I think they're on the upswing.
10:25I don't have him as a playoff team yet.
10:28But you never know.
10:29First-year coach coming in, sometimes winning is infectious.
10:32Sometimes you're taking over a roster that was steadily improving before the
10:35previous coach got fired.
10:37And I think that was the case here.
10:38So that could be, you know, John Harbaugh could be the beneficiary of that.
10:41So sticking in the NFC East, are you buying all of the defensive additions that
10:46Dallas made during the offseason?
10:47Is that enough to vault them over the Eagles for the division lead?
10:51Or do you still feel like Philly's the class of the division at this point?
10:57Hmm, that's a good question.
10:59So I'm bullish on Dallas.
11:02I just think, even for recent years, I think their roster is typically better
11:06than most.
11:07I think they evaluate well.
11:09And for as much as we talk about Dallas, like, they have good players all the
11:12time.
11:13It just hasn't always worked out.
11:14But I think the offense is going to be great.
11:17You know, they're not going to miss a beat.
11:18I mean, you have two elite number one receivers and a really good running back,
11:23really good tight end, and a top six quarterback.
11:25Like, you can't go wrong with that, as long as the offensive line holds up.
11:28So they're going to put up points, for sure, if Dak stays healthy.
11:31And then, you know, the defense is a big question mark, but they have addressed
11:33some things.
11:34New coordinator, new ideas, new players.
11:37They could probably still use one more piece, maybe a linebacker.
11:40Safety will be a lot better with not only Caleb Downs, but adding Jalen Thompson
11:45in free agency.
11:46So I like where they sit.
11:47I don't know if they're good enough to plan Philly yet.
11:51But, I mean, Philly's in an experimental phase on offense a little bit with a new
11:54coordinator, a new system, a new style.
11:56I can see that taking a little time.
11:58You know, so I like Dallas and where they sit.
12:02I'd still probably pick Philly to win.
12:04But Dallas will be of a mix for me.
12:05We're joined by Jeremy Fowler, ESPN senior NFL writer.
12:09So were you shocked by the $9.6 billion price tag on the Seattle Seahawks?
12:14They sold just a few days ago to Vinod Koshala.
12:18I hope I'm pronouncing his name correctly.
12:21Purchased Seahawks for $9.6 billion, making the Commander's sale just a few years ago
12:25for $6.05 billion, looking like a bargain at this point.
12:30Yeah, I know.
12:31That number is a sticker shock for sure.
12:34Now Seattle's got the Pacific Northwest, and, you know, obviously they just won the
12:38Super Bowl, and, you know, it's an attractive brand, but so is Washington.
12:42So I was a little surprised about the number, and it seems like we're approaching the
12:47$10 billion phase here eventually, and you're going to have some other big brands
12:51that are going to be up for sale.
12:52I think in part because of these numbers being so high, some of these owners are going
12:56to think twice, you know, about getting out at some point.
12:59And so maybe some owners that bought for $1 million or $2 million, you know, they can
13:05flip it.
13:05Or they can keep it, obviously, and it keeps going up.
13:08But if the Dallas Cowboys ever sell, which they probably won't and keep it in the family,
13:12but my gosh, could you imagine that number?
13:14So, yeah, it's surprising.
13:16And it's just indicative of the NFL churn that we're in where everything is up, and, you
13:23know, media rights are up, and they keep going up.
13:26And, you know, I'm curious to see how far those fans will take it, you know, like, will
13:32they keep buying all the streaming services, the eight different services it takes to watch
13:36enough NFL games, you know, because that was driving the price up for the league and for
13:40the valuation.
13:41Yep.
13:41Jeremy, thanks for the time.
13:42We know you're super busy by rolling out all of these position rankings.
13:45You got wide receivers.
13:47That's coming out tomorrow, and the safeties is your final position.
13:50That's coming out on July 16th.
13:52Thanks a lot for the time.
13:53We appreciate it, man.
13:54Thank you, buddy.
13:56Hey, thanks, guys.
13:56Anytime.
13:57Yep.
13:57Of course.
13:58It's Jeremy Fowler.
13:59You can check out his work on ESPN.com.
14:02When we come back, we'll be joined by Andrew Brandt.
14:05He's got a brand-new book about Smarter About Sports, My Life, Navigating Athletes, Agents, Media,
14:11and the Business of the NFL.
14:12Andrew Brandt will join us next here on The Fan.
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