“He’s the real deal.” Those were the words of Terry McLaurin when he was asked to share his thoughts on Jayden Daniels during the Commanders’ minicamp back in June. Well, McLaurin didn’t just call Daniels exceptional out of the blue. This was a Commanders’ receiver who had just played with 10 different QBs in five seasons with Washington. So, he must have seen something in Daniels. And like McLaurin, Daniels’ former coach from Arizona State has also found shades of an Eagles legend all over his former student.

Popping up on The Adam Schefter Podcast, Herm Edwards, who had spent three seasons with Daniels in Arizona, named one player who carried the traits of the Commanders’ rookie. “Randall Cunningham. Randall was about was about an inch taller, Randall weighed five more pounds than him. Same attributes, a long throwing motion, very accurate throwing the ball down the field, movement skills in the pocket, and his ability to run and make plays.” See anyone who may have forgotten about Cunningham. Let’s take you back into the past for a while.

The player with whom Edwards had compared Daniels spent 10 seasons playing with the Eagles, winning three out of his four Pro Bowls. And by the time he left Philadelphia, Cunningham had the third most rushing yards, 4,482 in the Eagles’ history. Besides just running, Cunningham also chipped in with 35 rushing TDs. As for Daniels, he already has 6 to his name, that too in his first season with the Commanders. And besides their footballing traits, Daniels is also pretty close to Cunningham in terms of physicality.

Like Cunningham, in his playing days, he used to stand at 6’4” while weighing 215 pounds. Now, Daniels almost matches Randall through his height, maybe an inch smaller, as Edwards pointed out. And if you go about his weight, Daniels weighs 5 pounds less than Randall. Maybe that’s why he has already racked up 891 rushing yards to his name. Because of their similarities both in playing style and physicalities, Edwards also jokingly said, “If you put #12 on him, and you put an eagle helmet on him, you say, man, is that Randall Cunningham?”

But I guess he is just Jayden Daniels. Yeah, you can compare with players from the past or even the present. Like an anonymous NFL executive once said to Bob McGinn that Daniels, “He’ll be in the Patrick Mahomes category. There’s quarterbacks that can carry a team. There’s quarterbacks that can win with a team. I think Daniels will carry a team.” Like standing where we are right now. Daniels did carry a team that was once 4-13 last season to their first NFC Championship game in more than 30 years. So, he did more than just carry in his first season with Washington. However, he will have a chance to make more history if his Commanders can beat the Eagles on Sunday.

That would mean Daniels will be the first rookie QB to ever start in the Super Bowl. And who knows, maybe he could go all the way. But before thinking about the Super Bowl, he needs to first face off against Jalen Hurts. Who, like Daniels, doesn’t know anything other than winning?

Jalen Hurts isn’t backing down from Commanders’ challenge

Let’s give you one crazy stat: You know the Eagles haven’t lost a game where Hurts have started and finished since late September. Yeah, that’s right. With Hurts, the Eagles are like an unstoppable force that doesn’t know how to bow down.

So, when Hurts had injured his knee against the Rams, there were concerns about his availability next week. However, it seems like the Eagles QB, who played with a knee brace, isn’t ready to sit this one out, “It’s just been progressing. Taking it a day at a time”—Hurts on his recovery. Hurts services would be more than crucial if the Eagles really want to stop the Commanders’ fairy tale journey.

Apart from scoring a 44-yard rushing TD, Hurts also handed the ball to his explosive running back Saquon Barkley for his 62 and 78-yard scores on the ground last week. Yeah, he only passed 128 passing yards. But that’s not what matters to Hurts: It’s more than numbers it’s about the results, “I just take great pride in winning. That’s the most important thing. That’s the only thing that matters.” So, what do you think will Hurts continue to help his Eagles win despite low productions on his plays? Or will it be the rookie of the year, Jayden Daniels, whose not-so-rookie year grazes the steps of Super Bowl glory in the coming days?