Jayden Daniels Explains Unselfish Reason for Not Testing at NFL Combine

The LSU quarterback opted out of on-field work at the NFL scouting combine.

In 2023, most of the spotlight afforded to LSU shone on quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Shouldering high expectations—the Tigers opened ’23 ranked fifth in the country, their highest preseason ranking since 2016—LSU couldn’t quite take the next step after winning the SEC West in 2022. However, Daniels broke out and won the Heisman Trophy with one of the most statistically dominant seasons in college football history.

The performance caused Daniels’s NFL draft stock to soar—and when asked Friday why he declined to participate in on-field work at the NFL scouting combine, he told reporters he wanted to shed light on his teammates at the Tigers’ forthcoming pro day.

“They’ve worked so hard to get their opportunity in front of everybody and go out there and showcase what they can do,” Daniels said. “It wasn’t about me, it was about my teammates.”

LSU QB Jayden Daniels says that his decision to not test at the #NFLCombine was less about him and more about his teammates.

By not testing, a lot of teams will be wanting to check out his Pro Day in Baton Rouge. His teammates will also get exposure from it. pic.twitter.com/Bp2kEIwkBF

— Sam Phalen (@Sam_Phalen) March 1, 2024

Daniels and his Tigers teammates will showcase their skills at LSU’s pro day on March 27 in Baton Rouge, La.

Daniels is expected to be one of the top picks in the 2024 NFL draft as one of the most intriguing quarterback prospects alongside USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye.