Jayden Daniels' phone has been blowing up for the past 24 hours. That kind of attention comes with the territory of being a No. 2 overall pick.
There was one of the few names that he recognized among the wave of people: Washington Commanders receiver Jahan Dotson. The 2022 first-round pick responded to the team's post announcing Daniels as their pick by saying "TMU" (turn me up) with a pair of emojis.
Daniels is excited to work with all the Commanders' weapons, from the mainstays like Terry McLaurin to the newcomers like Austin Ekeler and Zach Ertz, but Dotson is someone he knows on a more personal level from their days being recruited together. Both players are ready to combine their skill sets and elevate Washington's offense.
Daniels described himself as "a football junkie" during his introductory press conference, so he already has a general idea of what to expect from his new teammates. In Dotson, Daniels is getting a receiver who showed exceptional promise as a rookie by recording 523 yards and seven touchdowns on 35 receptions, despite missing five games with a hamstring injury.
Dotson's production was mixed in 2023. There were flashes, like his 108-yard game against the Eagles, but going without a reception in three games contributed to the offense sputtering throughout the season.
That hasn't besmirched anyone's opinion of him around the league, though. He's still known as someone who plays bigger than his 5-foot-11 frame and knows how to come down with contested catches. Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud said he and McLaurin were an underrated duo, specifying that Dotson was "nice" with some real emphasis on that word.
Daniels would agree with that assessment.
"He's real smooth," Daniels said. "He's a real smooth route runner and fast."
Now that Daniels is officially part of the team, his next focus is to get in the playbook and get to know his new teammates better. He and Dotson should already have a foundation, and the first time they'll be able to be on the field together is in May after rookie minicamp.
Daniels and Dotson have only been able to admire their skill sets from afar. Now, they'll get to see how they work together.
