Former NFL offensive tackle Terron Armstead knows what makes a good quarterback. After a strong rookie year, some quarterbacks fall out from a statistical viewpoint. Armstead, though, is pointing toward a second-year player for some attention.
Whether defenses adjust or a player stagnates, some young quarterbacks might face some regression. There are those exceptions, though, who are striving for long-term success. Which sophomore quarterback stands head and shoulders above everyone else?
Former LT Terron Armstead Names Commanders’ Jayden Daniels as Best Clutch Sophomore QB
Armstead, for 12 seasons, started 131 games as a left tackle, protecting the likes of former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and current Miami Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Armstead developed a keen awareness of those quarterbacks who embraced big moments and did not run from the pressure.
Quarterbacks like Brees and Tagovailoa carry their teams when the game comes down to a few key plays in its final moments. Armstead, while co-hosting NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” extolled the virtues of Washington’s franchise player, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.
What 2nd year QB would you trust with the game on the line?@T_Armstead72 is picking @JayD__5 😎 pic.twitter.com/L3dlxxRbim
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) June 24, 2025
“He’s so poised,” Armstead said. “He’s in control. So, in those late-game situations, he’s never rattled. I was so impressed watching him against the Detroit Lions in the playoffs. The way he orchestrated and handled the pressure. He was just unfazed. I want him with the ball in his hands late in the game.”
Daniels’ numbers back up Armstead’s declaration. In road games, Daniels actually completed a higher percentage of passes there (74.6%) versus home games (64.6%). After going 1-3 in November with the Commanders, Daniels, a former LSU standout, won his first five regular-season games to solidify an NFL playoff spot.
Looking closer at Washington’s 45-31 playoff win over the Detroit Lions, Armstead’s point becomes clearer.
After Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs scored from eight yards out, cutting Washington’s lead to 31-28 at the time, Daniels went to work. He used the Commanders’ run game extensively on the next drive. Washington ran 16 plays, 10 on the ground with running back Brian Robinson scoring from a yard out.
That nine-minute drive exhausted Detroit’s defense, which was without Aiden Hutchinson due to his season-ending knee injury. At that point, people stopped dismissing Daniels and the Commanders. The Lions entered the NFL playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the NFC. But Washington won the game at Ford Field in Detroit.
Gutting out a victory like that one takes nerves of steel and no signs of nervousness.
Armstead fully believes in Daniels, and game film indicates why everyone should believe in the Washington starter as well. With composure beyond his years, Washington looks like a perennial headache for the rest of the NFC.
When an offensive lineman, especially a left tackle, discusses a quarterback’s clutch gene, then it pays to listen to him.