The Riverside Press-Enterprise
QB CAPITAL OF WORLD?
Cajon's Daniels prepares to join Rancho Cucamonga's Stroud, who dazzled with Texans
I’m telling you; the Inland Empire has a lot going on.
Snowboarding and golf and freestyle motocrossing routes — hitting receivers in stride.
Citrus fields and wineries and NFL talent worth the squeeze; real juice.
Film festivals and Coachella sets, ready ... hike: a regular presence these days at Heisman Trophy ceremonies.
Some bright sports stars have been discovered out that way; i.e. Bobby and Barry
Bonds; Cheryl Miller and her little brother, Reggie; Kawhi Leonard; Bob Lemon; Anthony Munoz.
C.J. Stroud and Jayden Daniels.
Forget what you know about Texas and Florida, L.A. and Orange County, and consider: Could the IE be the new quarterback capital of the world?
There’s definitely something in the orange juice out there, because a year after buddies Bryce Young and Stroud went No. 1 and 2, respectively, in the 2023 NFL Draft, Daniels is expected to go No. 2 to the Washington Commanders.
He’s the heavy favorite to be selected immediately after USC’S Caleb Williams, who’ll assuredly be Chicago Bearsbound in this year’s selection proceedings Thursday.
Daniels — last season’s Heisman winner — rewrote the state history books as a fouryear starter at San Bernardino Cajon High School. He then headed off for an illustrious college career that started at Arizona State and finished at Louisiana State, with outlandish totals of 12,749 yards passing and 3,307 rushing, a combination eclipsing anything by any previous FBS quarterback.
Stroud — a Heisman finalist in 2021 and ’22, and last season’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year — emerged a star from Rancho Cucamonga High after getting his first starts as junior.
Even Young, the former Santa Ana Mater Dei standout who won the Heisman in 2021 and was the Carolina Panthers’ top overall pick a year ago, has ties to the Inland Empire. He