JT Daniels will be a Heisman Finalst in 2022.
What an unfortunate college football career it has been for JT Daniels up until this point. Starting with an ACL tear in the first game of his sophomore season in 2019, to getting benched for a mediocre Stetson Bennett who ended up leading Georgia to its first National Championship since 1980. More to the point, the oblique injury is what lead to Bennett getting the nod, but it wasn’t because of poor play from Daniels. In fact, Daniels lit it up when he replaced Bennett versus Mississippi State last season during the COVID shortened year, being the first Georgia QB to throw for 400 yards in a game since Aaron Murray (2011). This is what lead to the hype of the Georgia team going into 2021. The electric Georgia offense that Daniels led for the final 4 games, in that stretch, Daniels went 4-0, threw for 1,231 yards, 10 TDs, and only 2 interceptions. This was capped by a 178.5 Passer Rating (highest of his career, and a 67.2 completion percentage to boot)
Photo: Gary Cosby Jr., Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
Heading back, it all starts in 2018 when JT Daniels was supposed to be a senior in high school. He was actually a freshman at USC and was the starting QB for the Trojans. What really caps off this year for him was the two ranked matchups he had as only an 18 year old. He went to Texas and ultimately lost the game but went 30-48 with 322 yards passing. He looked dominant with so many throws that were placed where only his receiver could get it. All of this was with subpar offensive line play, and many dropped balls from his receivers.
Later in the year, he faced Notre Dame at home, which was his best game that season. He went 37-51 with 349 yards and 1 touchdown, along with no interceptions against the number 3 team in the country with an elite defense. This was just the beginning for Daniels, and he was showing his absolute elite arm talent that is NFL ready.
Photo: USA TODAY SPORTS
Daniels then suffered a Torn ACL in his first game in 2019. He was receiving Heisman hype and was gonna light it up this year for the Trojans. It was unfortunate, and some believed it was the beginning of the end for Daniels with the emergence of star QB Kedon Slovis.
He then transferred to the University of Georgia, where he was to backup the new transferee Jamie Newman, who ultimately opted out due to covid concerns. Daniels was benched for D’wan Mathis (current Temple Quarterback) and then Stetson Bennett (current Georgia Quarterback and National Champion).
Potential Landing Areas
Now that Daniels has entered the transfer portal, several schools have emerged. Ole Miss emerged when Lane Kiffin visited him and Jermain Burton in Athens as a potential “package deal,” but then ex-USC QB Jaxson Dart (ironic I know) committed to Ole MIss, and Burton to Alabama.
There are several options available for Daniels, with Penn State, LSU, and Washington all needing quarterbacks for 2022. LSU is the best fit in my opinion, and it’s my prediction for Daniels. I think Brian Kelly gets his guy, and he and Daniels absolutely explode in 2022.
Daniels is an elite talent, and whoever lands him in the transfer portal is getting a good one, and in my opinion, will be a Heisman Finalist in 2022.
