Jalon Daniels didn’t need long to make a statement in his first NFL action.
The former Kansas quarterback, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after going undrafted this year, got his shot in the preseason game against the New York Jets and handled it like a player who belongs. Daniels took the entire second half for Tampa Bay, went 10-of-15 for 111 yards, and finished the job himself with a QB sneak touchdown run in the final four minutes of a 16-play, 65-yard drive.
For Kansas fans, it was the kind of debut that felt familiar. Daniels spent six years in Lawrence and built his reputation as the kind of player teammates and fans rally around - dependable, tough, and willing to fight through less-than-ideal circumstances. Even after his college career ended without hearing his name called in the draft, he found a landing spot in Tampa Bay and has been working his way into the QB3 battle with former Bowling Green quarterback Conner Bazelak.
That competition had Daniels viewed as something of a long shot not long ago. After this showing, though, the Buccaneers may have a harder decision on their hands.
Daniels has spent OTAs and training camp quietly pushing for that third quarterback role, and he brought enough to the field against the Jets to force attention. At 23 years old going on 24 this October, he brings experience, arm talent, and mobility - the same dual-threat traits that made him one of the most exciting players in the country when healthy.
His path at Kansas also adds to the case. Daniels worked back from a potentially debilitating back injury in 2023 and still didn’t miss a game over his final two seasons with the Jayhawks. He left Lawrence as the school’s second-leading all-time passer and remained a key part of Lance Leipold’s rise as head coach.
Now the next step is simple: keep it going. Daniels still has Tampa Bay’s final two preseason games ahead of him, and strong performances there could lock down a spot on the 53-man roster. If not, he’s already shown enough to suggest that going undrafted doesn’t have to define the rest of his NFL story.
In Other News...
Leroy Harris Gives Kansas A Defensive Building Block It Desperately Needed
Leroy Harris III arrived at Kansas with a chance to matter right away, and the junior defensive end from Chattanooga did just that in his first season with the Jayhawks. His production earned him an All-Big 12 honorable mention and gave a defense that has spent too long searching for reliable pieces a much-needed answer on the edge, especially with Kansas trying to tighten up against the run and bring more heat on opposing quarterbacks.
Defensive ends coach Joe Dineen has been clear about why Harris fits into that plan. The athletic ability is there, and it shows up in the way he can affect plays before they fully develop, but Kansas also sees room for his technique to keep getting sharper. With a revamped defensive line group around him, Harris has a chance to be more than a bright spot from last season - he can be one of the foundational pieces that helps define what this front looks like going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Faces A Big DT Test As Fall Camp Trust Battle Heats Up
Fall camp has already forced Kansas to take a hard look at the middle of its defensive line, and defensive tackles coach Jim Panagos has spent much of the preseason sorting through what the Jayhawks have after a group that still feels a bit in flux. The season-ending loss of redshirt senior Trevon McAlpine changed the shape of the room, while players such as Blake Herold, Marcus Calvin, Eamon Smalls and Jibriel Conde have been working to establish themselves as reliable options in the mix.
Panagos said he is growing more comfortable with the newcomers, but the real issue now is how the rotation will settle once the practices get sharper and the games start to matter. For Kansas, the question is not just who can flash in camp, but who can handle the details and be counted on at tackle when the pressure rises and the mistakes start to get magnified. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Has A Young Pass Rusher Fans Need To Watch
Garret Martin may not be the first name people circle when they look at Kansas defensive line, but the redshirt freshman has started to turn heads in fall camp. After playing sparingly last season, Martin has shown noticeable growth under defensive ends coach Joe Dineen, and part of that progress is coming from his ability to learn both defensive end spots. For a Jayhawks front that is still sorting out its rotation, that kind of versatility matters.
Martin still has several players ahead of him on the depth chart, so his role this season could remain modest. Even so, Kansas appears to have a young pass rusher worth tracking beyond the immediate future, especially if the Jayhawks need more depth in bigger games down the road. For now, he looks like one of those developmental pieces who can quietly become important when the stakes get higher. [Read more 🡒]