Jalon Daniels' name is forever engraved in the Kansas football record books. Over the course of his roller-coaster career, he threw for 9,282 yards and completed 67 touchdowns, both second all-time in Kansas history.
He was a weapon when he used his legs as well. He ran for 1,445 yards and 23 touchdowns over his six-year career. Yes, six years!
His career had two distinct halves. In his first four years on campus, he played in 25 games and put up fantastic numbers when healthy. He missed a lot of time due to injuries. In those seasons, he threw for 4,297 yards and 31 touchdowns, with only 12 interceptions.
During the last two seasons, he threw for 4,985 yards and 36 touchdowns but had 19 interceptions. He was also plagued with fumbles, especially the last two years.
Is there a chance Kansas football star Jalon Daniels gets drafted?
There is a chance Daniels could hear his name called late on day three of the 2026 NFL Draft. It is a rather thin quarterback class, and some scouting services have him ranked fairly high.
DraftTek lists him 10th, but Matthew Freedman at Fantasy Life leaves him off his rankings. The Bengals.com site ranks him ninth! Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports has him ninth as well.
At the NFL Combine, Daniels had a Production Score of 66 (ranked 10th among quarterbacks) and an Athleticism Score of 78 (fifth), but ranked just 14th overall among signal callers.
Jalon Daniels' NFL Combine Scouting Reports
Note: These pros and cons are directly from the NFL.com Combine page.
Pros
- Shows ability to throw with adequate anticipation.
- Enough arm talent to push the ball vertically when needed.
- Throws with decent touch on deep fades.
- Plus escapability to break the pocket or extend plays.
- Moves the sticks as a scrambler and on designed runs.
- Above-average vision and cut quickness as a runner.
Cons
- Forces throws into no-win windows.
- Poor feel for the range of deep safeties.
- Footwork unravels on occasion, even without heavy pressure.
- Below-average ball placement on short/intermediate timing throws.
- Inconsistent finding and hitting intermediate zone windows.
- Disappointing accuracy when extending pass plays.
These notes truly reflect what Kansas fans have seen over the last six years. He has great arm strength and is nimble on his feet, but he forces balls into tight windows without great accuracy.
He does have great vision as a runner but does have happy feet in the pocket. He has escapability but doesn't throw accurately when on the move. Watching any amount of game film will tell evaluators all of these things.
It is possible that some team, looking for athletic depth at quarterback, might take a flyer on Daniels late in the draft. It seems more likely that he will quickly sign a deal as an undrafted free agent after the draft is over.
His lack of height and history of injuries might play a part if he isn't drafted, but Daniels has plenty of skills. That should give him a shot at a roster spot, even if it is on a taxi squad somewhere. At Kansas, he was known for his attitude, hard work, and loyalty. He was the key figure in bringing the Jayhawks from an embarrassing college program to a school with a bowl win.
It is challenging to predict the NFL Draft. All it takes is one team with a need for quarterback depth that likes Daniels. He's not so far down the list as to have no chance, but it looks like he's ranked as the ninth or 10th best prospect at his position. It would be incredible for Daniels to get the experience of being drafted.
Whether he's drafted or not, it would be shocking if Daniels didn't land somewhere quickly. Get him into an NFL team camp, with all their coaching resources, and it doesn't take much imagination to see Daniels turning some heads. He has the skills and the attitude to carve out a place for himself in the NFL, even if it is as taxi squad depth.
Kansas fans will be pulling for him!
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