2026 NFL Prospect Profile: Kansas Quarterback Jalon Daniels

Jalon Daniels attended Lawndale High School in California, where he was the starting quarterback. He was labeled a three-star recruit by ESPN and 247Sports. As a junior, he completed 136-of-237 passes for 2,351 yards and 26 touchdowns, while also rushing for 940 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

Daniels committed to the University of Kansas after previously committing to Middle Tennessee State University. Daniels started six games for the Jayhawks his freshman year. He completed 76 of 152 passes for 718 yards and threw for one touchdown and four interceptions. He lost out to Jason Bean for the starting quarterback position during camp. 

Following an injury to Bean in November, Daniels made three starts. The Jayhawks’ offense improved drastically after he became the starter, going from averaging 15.1 points per game to averaging 37.7. The sophomore signal caller finished the season with 860 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions. 

After losing the starting job the previous season to Bean, Daniels earned the starting position entering his junior year. After leading the Jayhawks to a 5-0 record, some sports writers called Daniels a candidate for the Heisman Trophy. In the Liberty Bowl, Daniels threw for a program record 544 yards in a 55-53 loss to Arkansas. He finished the season with 2,014 yards passing and 18 touchdowns, while rushing for 425 yards and seven more scores. 

Daniels was selected as the 2023 Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, the first Kansas player to receive the award. However, he only played in three games due to a back injury. Daniels announced in November of 2023, he would return to Kansas for the 2024 season. In 2024, Daniels threw for 2,454 yards and 14 touchdowns with 447 rushing yards and six touchdowns. After the season, Daniels announced he was coming back to Lawrence for his sixth and final season of eligibility.

Strengths

Athletically, Jalon Daniels is near the top of the quarterback class. His size, injury history, and mechanics will make him a late-round pick who could work into a backup role. He is athletic enough for a team to make the selection and to see how they can get him involved in the offense as a weapon.

• Speed
• Arm Strength
• Decision Making
• Athleticism
• Quick Release

The athleticism of Daniels in unmatched in this class. He has exceptional speed, and once he leaves the pocket, he has the potential to take it to the house. Daniels rarely forces passes and limits his mistakes by not making risky throws. His arm is strong enough to make the tough throws either over the middle or outside the hash marks. He does an effective job of getting rid of passes quickly and does not hesitate once a decision to throw is made. When outside the pocket, Daniels does a good job of hitting receivers and understands when a pass needs tempo or touch on it. 

Weaknesses

• Size
• Progression Tempo
• Long Ball
• Injury History
• Feet Always Moving

Daniels is undersized at 6-foot-0 and will more than likely be looked at as a gadget quarterback whose upside is being a backup. When in the pocket, Daniels has a tendency to keep his feet moving, making it much more difficult to drive a pass and be accurate. 

He has suffered several injuries in college, including to his back and shoulder, and teams will need to do their research on him to make sure he is 100%. Daniels has a habit of holding the ball too long, which leads to unnecessary sacks and fumbles. His progression can be a tick too slow at times. He has the arm strength to make long passes, but he lacks the accuracy to hit on them as consistently as scouts would like to see. 

Conclusion 

Draft Nation does not often morph two prospects together to come up with a comparison, but in Jalon Daniels' case, he has the speed of Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens and the size of Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals. However, he does not have the throwing mechanics and dominance of either of the two. His speed will force the conversation for him to consider a position switch in the offseason, and Draft Nation would not be shocked at all to see him become a slot receiver or running back at the next level.