Jalon Daniels QB Kansas | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Jalon Daniels QB Kansas
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| PLAY STYLE: Mobile Pocket Passer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 05/30/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.58 seconds (92%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| PLAY STYLE: Mobile Pocket Passer | |
| Last Updated: 05/30/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| 40 time: 4.58 seconds (92%*) | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 81.4 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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72% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Release Speed: |
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76% |
| Short Passing: |
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74% |
| Medium Passing: |
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69% |
| Long Passing: |
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91% |
| Rush/Scramble: |
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74% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#174
Position rank:
#14
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| College Games: 36 College Snaps: 1977 | ||
ESPN RATING: 71/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 80/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.4 (89%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jaren Hall - BYU |
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79% |
| Jordan Travis - Florida State |
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77% |
| Michael Pratt - Tulane |
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76% |
Draft Profile: Bio
After arriving in Lawrence as a three-star recruit from Lawndale, California, Jalon Daniels found himself thrust into the starting role as a true freshman during the 2020 COVID season, where he threw his first collegiate pass for a 48-yard touchdown—the longest scoring strike for Kansas that entire campaign. That moment of brilliance served as a preview of what was to come, even as the Jayhawks stumbled to an 0-9 record with Daniels going winless in six starts.The arrival of Lance Leipold in 2021 marked a turning point for both the program and Daniels personally. Though initially losing the starting job to Jason Bean, Daniels seized his opportunity when injury struck late in the season, completing 81 of 117 passes for 860 yards with seven touchdowns against just three interceptions. His breakout performance came in an overtime thriller against Texas, where he rallied Kansas to a stunning 57-56 victory with 202 passing yards and three total touchdowns.
The 2022 season represented the pinnacle of Daniels' college career and Kansas football's revival. Despite missing time with a shoulder injury, he guided the Jayhawks to their first bowl appearance since 2008, compiling 2,014 passing yards with 18 touchdowns against just four interceptions while adding 425 rushing yards and seven ground scores. His crowning achievement came in the Liberty Bowl against Arkansas, where he shattered the Kansas single-game passing record with 544 yards and six total touchdowns, earning bowl MVP honors. The 2023 season promised even greater heights as Daniels earned Big 12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year honors, but a debilitating back injury limited him to just three games, though he remained efficient with 705 yards and five touchdowns on a blistering 74.4% completion rate.
His 2024 campaign as a redshirt junior saw him return to full health, throwing for 2,454 yards—the seventh-most in Kansas history—with 14 passing touchdowns and six rushing scores, while earning team captain honors and Big 12 Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year recognition. However, another setback emerged in February 2025 when Daniels underwent a minor knee procedure that limited his participation in spring practice, forcing the coaching staff to manage his workload carefully as he worked through a supervised throwing regimen.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Elite athleticism with 4.5 speed creates dynamic dual-threat capability that defenses must constantly account for on every snap.
- Exceptional arm elasticity allows him to deliver strikes from awkward angles and off-platform positions with surprising velocity and accuracy.
- Lightning-quick release mechanism enables him to fire bullets through tight intermediate windows before defenders can react or close.
- Outstanding pocket navigation skills with slippery agility to slide away from edge rushers and find throwing lanes in chaos.
- Demonstrates impressive touch and ball placement on short and intermediate routes, consistently hitting receivers in stride or on leverage.
- Strong football IQ shows in his pre-snap reads and ability to identify defensive weaknesses before the ball is snapped.
- Excellent decision-making keeps turnovers to a minimum, showing the discretion to live for another down rather than forcing risky throws.
- Proven clutch performer who elevates his game in big moments, evidenced by his Texas upset and Liberty Bowl record-setting performance.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Deep ball accuracy remains inconsistent as his arm strength wanes on throws beyond 20 yards, leading to underthrown passes in the vertical game.
- Troubling injury history spans shoulder, back, and now knee issues that have repeatedly disrupted his development and availability across multiple seasons.
- Pocket depth discipline needs refinement as he tends to drift too far back, disrupting timing and making protection schemes more difficult.
- Processing speed can lag under pressure, causing him to hold the ball too long and miss secondary reads breaking open downfield.
- Limited starting experience with just 36 career games may leave him unprepared for the complexities of NFL defensive schemes and adjustments.
Scouting Report: Summary
The tape reveals a quarterback whose explosive athleticism and deep ball prowess create genuine excitement, yet whose inconsistencies and medical file generate equal concern among evaluators. Daniels possesses the rare ability to uncork lasers downfield with impressive velocity and accuracy when his mechanics sync up properly, making him a legitimate vertical threat that can stress defenses at multiple levels. However, his struggles with timing and precision in the short and intermediate passing game expose a concerning disconnect between his physical gifts and operational consistency that becomes magnified under pressure.His mobility serves as both his greatest asset and potential crutch, allowing him to escape immediate danger while sometimes masking fundamental pocket presence deficiencies that NFL defenses will exploit relentlessly. The injury timeline tells a troubling story—shoulder issues disrupting his 2022 breakout, back problems derailing his 2023 Heisman campaign, and now knee concerns clouding his final collegiate season. This pattern suggests a player whose body may struggle to withstand the punishment that comes with his improvisational playing style, creating legitimate questions about long-term viability at the professional level.
Coordinators will be drawn to his arm talent and escapability while simultaneously wrestling with his mechanical inconsistencies and medical red flags. The developmental pathway exists for Daniels to become a valuable NFL contributor, but it requires significant refinement of his pocket navigation and processing speed, combined with a clean bill of health that has proven elusive throughout his collegiate career. His ceiling remains intriguing enough to warrant day-three consideration, though the floor involves a player whose injury history prevents him from ever reaching his considerable physical potential in a league that demands both availability and consistency from the quarterback position.
Written By:
Eli Cooper (Big 12)
How other scouting services rate Jalon Daniels (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
468.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
34.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.