5 reasons why LSU's Jayden Daniels won the Heisman over QBs Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr.

Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night in New York, succeeding 2022 winner Caleb Williams. The LSU quarterback had an astonishing season, which saw him record career-high numbers across various metrics.

The Arizona State transfer overcame the competition from Oregon's Bo Nix, Washington's Michael Penix Jr. and Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. to claim the coveted award.

In this article, we examine five reasons Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy ahead of others.

Five reasons Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy

#1, Outstanding completion rate

Jayden Daniels’ pass completion rate in the 2023 season is one of the reasons he secured the Heisman Trophy. He is one of the few quarterbacks to complete over 70% of their passes.

Daniels recorded a 72.2% pass completion rate, reaching his receivers 236 times in 327 attempts. This was crucial to the Tigers' offensive plays throughout the season.

#2, Impressive passing yards average

With a total of 3,812 passing yards in the 2023 college football season, Daniels had the third-highest average per throw in the Football Bowl Subdivision, behind Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix.

However, his average outweighs the entire Division I subdivision. Daniels averaged an impressive 11.7 yards per throw for LSU this season, which set him apart in the landscape.

#3, Superb rushing abilities

Jayden Daniels was the best dual-threat quarterback in college football in the 2023 season as a big threat to defenses on the ground.

The quarterback rushed for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns, leading the FBS in rushing yards per carry. His rushing abilities obviously set him apart from other quarterbacks in the race.

#4, Astonishing passing efficiency

Another metric that ensured Daniels was named the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner was his passing efficiency. He led the FBS in this metric.

Daniels had an astounding passer rating of 208.0, which projected him ahead of the other two quarterbacks in the race for the award. No other FBS quarterback had a passer rating of 190+.

#5, Number of touchdowns scored

This metric was probably what made many Heisman Trophy voters believe Jayden Daniels was deserving of the award. He scored an impressive amount of passing and rushing touchdowns.

Daniels threw for 40 touchdowns, the joint-highest in the FBS alongside Bo Nix. He also scored 10 rushing touchdowns to add to his impressive numbers. He was responsible for most points in college football this season.