Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels, who broke the NFL rookie quarterback single season rushing record in leading the Commanders to the playoffs for the first time since 2020, is the 2024 Rookie of the Year and the Offensive Rookie of the Year, chosen in voting conducted by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse, who led NFL rookies in quarterback hits, pressures and hurries, is the 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Daniels, the second overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft out of LSU, started all 17 games for the Commanders and completed 331 of 480 passes (69 percent; sixth in the NFL) for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a passer rating of 100.1 (seventh in the NFL). He also had 148 rush attempts for 891 yards (second-most among NFL quarterbacks) and six touchdowns. He is the first player in NFL history to record over 1,000 passing yards and over 250 rushing yards in his first five career games. Daniels also is the first rookie and fifth player in NFL history to record a completion percentage of 80 percent or higher in four games in a season, and the sixth rookie QB to throw five touchdowns in a game. His 31 touchdowns (25 passing, six rushing) and his 891 rushing yards are both second among all NFL rookies this season. Daniels' 3,568 passing yards is second among NFL rookies, and he also rushed for 55 first downs. He was the NFL Offensive Player of the Week in Week 3 and the NFL's Offensive Player of the Month for September.
Daniels is the second player in Washington history to be selected as the PFWA's Rookie of the Year, as running back Mike Thomas captured the 1975 award. Daniels is also the second Washington player to be the PFWA's Offensive Rookie of the Year, joining quarterback Robert Griffin III, who won the award in 2012.
Verse, the 19th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Florida State, played in all 17 games with 16 starts. He posed 66 total tackles (36 solo), 4.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two passes defensed. He led NFL all rookies in quarterback hits (18), pressures (77) and hurries (56). He ranked second among rookies in tackles for loss (11) and fifth in sacks (4.5). Among all NFL defensive players, Verse tied for second in hurries, fourth in pressures and tied for 32nd in tackles for loss. He recorded his first career sack vs. Detroit in Week 1 and became the fourth Rams rookie to record a sack in his debut. In Week 10, he became the first rookie to record a sack in three consecutive games since James Houston in 2022. According to Pro Football Focus, Verse has the best defensive grade (86.2), best pressure grade (83.7) and the fifth-best run defense grade (78.4) among all rookie defenders. From Weeks 9-17, he led all rookies in hurries (34), pressures (42), tied for second in forced fumbles (one), tied for fourth in tackles for loss (four) and tied for third in quarterback hits (six). Verse had a pair of seven-tackle games against Arizona in Week 2 and Philadelphia in Week 12.
Verse is the second player in Rams franchise history to be selected Defensive Rookie of the Year by the PFWA, joining defensive tackle Aaron Donald in 2014.
The Los Angeles Rams lead the All-Rookie selections with three, while the Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles each have three honorees. In all, 20 clubs are represented among the 27 players honored.
The 2024 All-Rookie team offense is made up of the Commanders' Daniels at quarterback, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Bucky Irving and the Giants' Tyrone Tracy Jr. at running back, the Giants' Malik Nabers and the Jaguars' Brian Thomas Jr. (also a PFWA All-AFC selection) at wide receiver, the Raiders' Brock Bowers at tight end (also a PFWA All-NFL and All-AFC selection), the Pittsburgh Steelers' Zach Frazier at center, the Raiders' Jackson Powers-Johnson and the San Francisco 49ers' Dominick Puni at guard with the Los Angeles Chargers' Joe Alt and the Baltimore Ravens' Roger Rosengarten at tackle.
The All-Rookie defensive unit is comprised of the Denver Broncos' Jonah Elliss, the Rams' Braden Fiske, the Indianapolis Colts' Laiatu Latu and the Tennessee Titans' T'Vondre Sweat on the defensive line, the Packers' Edgerrin Cooper, the Miami Dolphins' Chop Robinson and the Rams' Verse at linebacker, the Eagles' duo of Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell at safety with the Houston Texans' Calen Bullock and the Packers' Evan Williams at safety.
The All-Rookie special teams group is the Jaguars' Cam Little at placekicker, the Cincinnati Bengals' Ryan Rehkow at punter, the Rams' Jordan Whittington at kick returner, the Buffalo Bills' Brandon Codrington at punt returner and the Detroit Lions' Sione Vaki at special teamer.
The PFWA has honored an All-Rookie team every season since 1974. Only players who are in their first season of pro football are designated as rookies by the NFL and are eligible for PFWA rookie awards. Players designated as NFL first-year players who have been active in another pro football league or who have NFL experience, including preseason training camp in a previous season, are not eligible for All-Rookie awards.
