San Bernardino cheers ‘hometown hero’ Jayden Daniels, No. 2 pick in NFL draft

The Washington Commanders selected the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner in the first round of the draft Thursday in Detroit.

He may not have been able to hear them all the way in Detroit, but that didn’t stop some of Jayden Daniels‘ biggest fans from roaring with approval when the Washington Commanders announced him as their first-round NFL draft pick Thursday, April 25.

Daniels, a Cajon High School graduate, LSU quarterback and winner of the 2023 Heisman Trophy, was the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft at Campus Martius Park in Detroit Thursday.

The high-energy crowd of about 100 erupted in cheers every time Daniels appeared on the large screen set up in the Cajon High gymnasium for a draft watch party hosted by the school and San Bernardino City Unified School District.

An NFL live feed followed Daniels, wearing a pale blue suit, black sunglasses and a broad smile, as he made his way from the waiting room to the stage in Detroit.

“It’s been a blessing,” Daniels said of the draft, and pledged to give his all to his new team.

“Just believe in me,” Daniels said. “It’s gonna be a grind. I’m a hard worker. I can’t wait.”

Hailed a “hometown hero” by many at the gathering in San Bernardino, Daniels in his last year with LSU impressed with 3,812 yards passing and 1,134 yards rushing and 50 total touchdowns in 12 games, earning him college football’s most prestigious player of the year award.

“The Commanders just got a lot of fans. We couldn’t be happier,” Richard “Rich” Imbriani, Cajon’s athletic director, said moments after the draft Thursday.

“The kids have been waiting for this,” Imbriani added. “Jayden comes back and talks to the kids and visits. He is tremendous.”

Thursday’s celebration at Cajon followed a parade in Daniels’ honor in January, a month after he was announced as the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner.

Chris Jackson, Cajon principal, said Daniels is a true role model for his fellow Cowboys.

“There’s not many Heisman Trophies in the country, so to have one homegrown in San Bernardino, it’s something that shows our kids anything is possible, it doesn’t matter where you come from,” Jackson said.

Daniels had been the favorite as the No. 2 pick behind USC’s Caleb Williams, claimed by the Chicago Bears as the first pick in the first round of the draft Thursday.

Staff writer Madison Hart contributed to this report.