Jayden Daniels To The Bucs? Rachaad White Would Love To See It

If the Bucs are going to select a quarterback in next year’s draft, running back Rachaad White has a strong recommendation. White was a teammate of LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels for two seasons at Arizona State before Daniels transferred to the Tigers program in 2022.

Daniels, one of four Heisman Trophy candidates, has starred at LSU over the past two seasons, completing 68.6% of his passes for 2,913 yards with 17 touchdowns and three interceptions as a senior before completing 72.2% of his throws for 3,812 yards with 40 TDs and just four INTs as a fifth-year senior.

White showed his support for Daniels’ Heisman candidacy by wearing one of his shirts to Sunday’s game, which was a 21-18 win over the Carolina Panthers.

Rachaad White Loves Jayden Daniels’ Game

Jayden Daniels was a three-year starter at Arizona State, passing for 2,943 yards with 17 touchdowns and only two inteceptions as a freshman in 2019. In a COVID-shortened season in 2020, Daniels threw for 701 yards and five touchdowns with one pick in the four games played in the PAC-12 conference. His junior season saw Daniels complete 65.4% of his passes for 2,381 yards, but toss 10 TDs and 10 INTs before transferring to LSU.

What makes Daniels a special quarterback and a Heisman Trophy finalist is the fact that he can put up yardage from the pocket as a passer, but also as an effective scrambler. Daniels ran for 1,288 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Sun Devils, including 710 yards and six scores as a junior.

But he’s taken his ground game to a new level at LSU. In his first season in Baton Rouge, Daniels rushed for 885 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 4.8 yards per carry. This year, Daniels led the Tigers with 1,134 rushing yards and 10 TDs while averaging 8.4 yards per carry.

Despite Daniels totaling 4,946 yards and 50 touchdowns in a historic season at LSU, Bucs running back Rachaad White hasn’t been surprised by his former quarterback’s success.

“That’s my dawg, for sure,” Rachaad White said. “For sure a dual threat, a guy that can sit back there and pass it when he needs to, and a guy that can just extend plays with his legs. I mean, that’s what the league comes to. Look at Baker [Mayfield] and the difference he can make taking off running and stuff like that. He picked up a crucial one out there.”

Rachaad White Would Love To Play Alongside Jayden Daniels Again

Make no mistake, Rachaad White loves playing with Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield.

But White is a running back and not the team’s general manager. Only G.M. Jason Licht and Tampa Bay’s head coach, whether it’s Todd Bowles or his replacement, will make the decision to re-sign Mayfield or to draft another quarterback in the offseason.

If White had a say in the matter, he would undoubtedly endorse the Bucs’ drafting of Daniels, his close friend since his Arizona State days, next April.

“You just see that man, J5 is making history, bro,” White said. “He is doing things that – you know what I’m saying? – 300-something passing yards and 200 [rushing yards]? That stuff is insane. Six touchdowns [in a game]? Man, I’m proud of my guy. We talk every day, we talk every week. We talk about each other all the time.”

Daniels, who is the only player in FBS history with 12,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in his career, has been a popular pick for Tampa Bay in several 2024 mock drafts. He has first-round production, but could slide to the second round due to his skinny frame, which is not ideally suited for the NFL. LSU lists Daniels at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, but he may weigh closer to 200 pounds.