Right now, one of the biggest talking points around the Kansas football program is the quarterback situation. For the first time in what feels like an eon, KU won’t be able to enlist Jalon Daniels under center, as he has since moved on to the NFL after being signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after going undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Right now, the Bucs are led by longtime quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has a wealth of experience and has carved out a very successful career at the next level. However, behind Mayfield sit both Connor Bazelak and Daniels. Each got their chance in Friday night’s preseason opening 24-16 win against the New York Jets, but it was Daniels who ended up taking most of the plaudits.
Daniels showed out in his first NFL opportunity
“Poised, he went in relaxed, and we knew he could make off-schedule plays out of the pocket, but he played very confident in the pocket. He made the right reads. He zipped some throws in there. I thought he played very well,” quoted Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles following Daniels’ 111 passing yards on a 10-15 completion rate, with a further 9 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.
At KU, Daniels quickly rose from a relatively unknown 3-star to a nationwide sensation. When healthy, Daniels’ mobility proved him to be one of the nation’s best dual-threat quarterbacks. Daniels finished his time with the Jayhawks with 9,282 yards and 67 passing touchdowns, and 31 interceptions. On the ground, Daniels added 23 rushing touchdowns and 1,445 yards as well.
While Daniels certainly deserved a shot at the next level, he was by no means a perfect player. In his final two seasons, Daniels averaged a 59.55% completion rate and at times looked as if he was trying too hard, a pattern that worked the Jayhawks out of games rather than in them-something he seemed to remedy during his first preseason game.
“He took what they gave him. He didn't try to get out of there too fast, and he was calm under pressure, and he let the system work for him as opposed to just trying to make a play and be seen. He did some very good things tonight from a poise standpoint,” finished Bowles.
Where does Daniels go from here?
There are only two preseason games left before the regular season takes shape, so Daniels will have to take advantage of his moments when things are live and he is constantly facing other players who are gunning for a spot on their respective rosters. That being said, behind closed doors, Daniels just has to continue to soak up the knowledge both Mayfield and his new NFL staff are handing him. If Daniels can continue to impress, he will get his foot in the door, something a lot of NFL hopefuls struggle with.
Daniels’ next chance will likely come up against the Kansas City Chiefs at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, August 22.
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