Latest news with #JalonDaniels
USA Today
11-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Kansas Jayhawks QB Jalon Daniels is a NFL Draft wild card
It's a brave new world for star players in collegiate revenue-producing sports who don't ultimately have a professional career. With the explosion of NIL, college football and men's college basketball superstars who don't make it in the pros can still get paid for their athletic prowess. Back in the day, player payments had to all be under-the-table, so as to avoid NCAA infractions. Now it's all legit. Of course, if you were a big man on campus who ultimately didn't get a lucrative NBA or NHL contract, there was is another way to monetize your glories in the game. If you were a big name, at a big enough school, friends of the program, alumni, boosters etc. will find a sweet gig for you somewhere. Often times, this comes in the form of a cushy job at an investment bank or brokerage house, in a client facing role. It's not as much about Wall St. acumen as it is name brand recognition. So in the grand scheme of things, it's not all-or-nothing when it comes to NFL or NBA Draft stock. When it comes to Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels, it's difficult to say what his draft stock truly is. He's a wild card for the 2026 NFL Draft in the truest sense. Injuries have taken a toll on him, and that's significantly devalued his draft stock. There are questions about his size too, as he's barely 6 feet tall, which is less than ideal height for a NFL QB prospect. However, height did not hold back Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, or numerous other signal callers of a height more or less level with Daniels. And Daniels is an electric playmaker and accomplished field general. He will also enter the draft process with the advantage of having worked in a very NFL-friendly system. 'At the University of Kansas, we are all about shifts and motions and mis-directions for the defense, so we have to do a great job offensively of being able to make sure everybody is aligned properly," the 22-year-old said in an exclusive with 'Pre-snap, that's a huge deal for me… post-snap, it's trying make sure my pre-snap vision and picture I was trying to get comes to fruition. When it does, it's confirmation we have done what we're supposed to be doing.' Running an offense like this, and showing insightful improvisation in play-calling will make Daniels a little more pro-ready than many of the other signal callers in his draft class. He has great arm strength and elite mobility. However, it's very difficult to say where he could end up next April. You can just as easily find a UDFA valuation for him (the knee, back and shoulder injuries have a lot to do with that) as you can a day two grade (his projected 40-yard dash time and statistics for 2022 and 2023 are a big reason why). It all depends on how his final season at KU goes. Yes, Kansas is a basketball school, no doubt about that, but Daniels has helped make Jayhawks football relevant again. Even Les Miles couldn't do that. You can easily make the case that Jalon Daniels, despite the fact that his name sounds so strikingly similar to 2023 Heisman trophy winner, #2 overall pick in the 2024 Draft and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels (it's like Dr. Pepper and Dr. Skipper, or when Mr. Burns couldn't get Stephen Spielberg to direct his vanity movie project, so he settled for El Spielbergo) is iconic. At least by KU football standards, as you can honestly say that Daniels is the biggest individual star the program has had in a decade or two. His brand name and potential ceiling will get NFL people interested. Daniels' escape ability is what makes him so exciting and successful. However, it's also what makes him so injury prone. He's a little bit like a football version of Derrick Rose- what makes him so great is also the same thing that leads him getting hurt.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kansas football quarterback Jalon Daniels highlights offseason work with wide receivers
Check out some of what Kansas football quarterback Jalon Daniels had to say Wednesday while he represented KU at Big 12 Conference media days.
USA Today
06-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Projecting the Big 12's top 10 quarterbacks for the 2025 season
Projecting the Big 12's top 10 quarterbacks for the 2025 season Who will lead the Big 12 in passing yards in 2025? In a conference where air raid offenses are tradition and 400-yard passing games are just another Saturday, the Big 12's next wave of quarterback stars are ready to light up college football in 2025. The Big 12's expansion in 2024, supercharged the offensive firepower across the conference. With additions like Colorado and Arizona State bringing their brand of football, the conference has become enriched with more great quarterback play. The Big 12's traditional schools like Texas Tech and Baylor continue to air it out, while the newcomers wasted no time adapting the Big 12's offensive identity. Adding Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Arizona State in 2024 brought an immediate boost to the Big 12's quarterback play. Three of the four newcomers finished the season among the top 10 in passing yards, highlighted by Colorado's Shedeur Sanders — the conference's only 4,000-yard passer. 2025's crop of quarterbacks should have some familiar faces from last season with some potential breakout stars. From star quarterbacks like Arizona State's Sam Leavitt to athletic dual-threats like Kansas State's Avery Johnson, the Big 12 is bound to have high passing yards in 2025. With the 2025 season inching closer and closer, here are our predictions for this year's Big 12 passing leaders. 10. Kaidon Salter, Colorado Buffaloes The Buffs are bound to have a new look offense in 2025 with the departure of Shedeur Sanders and Heisman winner Travis Hunter. But Salter should be able to crack the top ten if the Buffs can keep the same high-powered offense from last year in rhythm. 9. Jalon Daniels, Kansas Jayhawks Kansas' Jalon Daniels is bound to have a top-ten passing year after just missing out last season. The Jayhawks' success hinges on Daniels's improvising ability, but he has the potential to lead a high-powered offense with his dual-threat ability. 8. Noah Fifita, Arizona Wildcats Fifita was sixth in passing yards, but he is losing their top receiver, Tetairoa McMillan, to the NFL. The Wildcats might not be a Big 12 contender, but will still rely on Fifita to carry the load on offense. The 5-foot-10 signal caller should crack the top ten for passing yards. 7. Jake Retzlaff, BYU Cougars BYU could have a different face under center in 2025, but if Retzlaff wins the starting job he should have the same success he had in 2024. He is an accurate quarterback and barely missed the 3,000-yard mark last season. 6. Brehen Morton, Texas Tech Red Raiders Morton should have even more success in 2025 after the Red Raiders brought in a top transfer portal class. He succeeded in his first full year as a starter passing for 3,335 yards. Morton was good for fourth in the Big 12 last year but comes in at sixth based on big leaps by other quarterbacks. 5. Rocco Becht, Iowa State Cyclones Iowa State was last year's Big 12 runner-up and should be a top team in the Big 12 next season. In 2024, Becht passed for 3,505 yards and 25 touchdowns. However, Becht is losing his top two wide receivers, who accounted for 2,377 yards, which might put a dent in his passing yardage numbers. 4. Josh Hoover, TCU Horned Frogs Hoover was second in the Big 12 in passing yards and shouldn't take a step back in 2025. TCU had an interesting year in 2024, but Hoover is a smart and accurate QB. The only reason he isn't higher is because the playmakers above him are poised for even bigger years in 2025. 3. Avery Johnson, Kansas State Wildcats Kansas State won nine games in 2024 behind the play of a sophomore Johnson. He passed for 2,712 yards and was fifth in touchdowns last season in his first full year as a starter. The Wildcats' signal caller should take a big jump in 2025 because he has the talent to do so. Don't be surprised if he is a candidate for the Heisman Trophy by season's end. 2. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor Bears Robertson closed out the 2024 season strong, breaking the 3,000-yard mark en route to the Bears winning their final six conference matchups. Heading into his junior season Baylor is relying on Robertson to be a star as they head into 2025 as a Big 12 favorite. Robertson should rise to the occasion with his decisive playmaking and size. 1. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State Sun Devils Sam Levitt is coming off a successful 2024 campaign leading the Sun Devils to the Big 12 crown. Leavitt should leap into stardom this year in head coach Kenny Dillingham's offense. ASU will need him if they want to repeat their successes of last season. Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
Fox Sports
06-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Kansas QB Jalon Daniels' minor knee surgery will limit him in spring practice
Associated Press LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels recently underwent knee surgery and will be limited in spring practice, the school said Thursday. Daniels has started 33 games for the Jayhawks and will be returning for his sixth season. The school said Daniels' surgery was minor. The native of Lawndale, California, has been plagued by injuries. He missed four games with a shoulder injury in 2022 and 10 games with a back injury in 2023. Daniels started all 12 games last season and struggled before he led the Jayhawks (5-7, 4-5 Big 12) to consecutive wins over ranked opponents Iowa State, BYU and Colorado. He completed 57% of his passes for 204.5 yards per game and 14 touchdowns. His 12 interceptions tied for most in the Big 12. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and recommended
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kansas QB Jalon Daniels' minor knee surgery will limit him in spring practice
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels recently underwent knee surgery and will be limited in spring practice, the school said Thursday. Daniels has started 33 games for the Jayhawks and will be returning for his sixth season. The school said Daniels' surgery was minor. The native of Lawndale, California, has been plagued by injuries. He missed four games with a shoulder injury in 2022 and 10 games with a back injury in 2023. Daniels started all 12 games last season and struggled before he led the Jayhawks (5-7, 4-5 Big 12) to consecutive wins over ranked opponents Iowa State, BYU and Colorado. He completed 57% of his passes for 204.5 yards per game and 14 touchdowns. His 12 interceptions tied for most in the Big 12. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
