The first rookie quarterback to make a start during the 2026 NFL season wasn't the draft's No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Nor was it fellow first-round selection Ty Simpson.
Instead, it was an undrafted signal-caller, Jalon Daniels, who got a first crack at representing the 2026 NFL Draft quarterback class on the professional stage.
Daniels, who showed out against the University of Cincinnati last year, is slated to be the starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' "Thursday Night Football" matchup against the Dallas Cowboys after the team's normal starter, Baker Mayfield, suffered a thumb injury at the end of Tampa Bay's Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Here's what to know about Daniels as he heads into "Thursday Night Football"
in Week 5.
Where did Jalon Daniels go to college?
Daniels played his entire six-year college career at Kansas. He quickly emerged as a starter for the Jayhawks, starting six of nine games as a freshman, and appeared in a total of 49 games across his time with the school.
His start against the Packers in Week 4 marked the first time a Jayhawks quarterback had started an NFL game since Mike Norseth in 1988. Daniels was also the first Kansas quarterback to both start a game and attempt a pass since Frank Seurer in 1987.
Daniels threw for over 400 yards against UC in 2025
In his final matchup against the University of Cincinnati on Sept. 27, 2025, Daniels threw for 445 yards with 19 completions on 28 attempts.
Daniels threw four touchdowns that game, despite the Jayhawks falling 37-34 to the Bearcats. To compare, the Bearcats' then-quarterback, Brendan Sorsby, threw for 388 yards, going 29/43 with two touchdowns.
Jalon Daniels college stats
Daniels finished his career ranked second all-time among Kansas quarterbacks in both passing yards (9,282) and passing touchdowns (67). Only Todd Reesing (11,194 yards, 90 touchdowns) is ahead of him in each category.
Below is a full look at Daniels' stats from his six seasons at Kansas:
- Completion rate: 61.5%
- Passing yards: 9,282.
- Passing TDs: 67.
- INTs: 31.
- Yards/attempt: 7.8.
- Passer rating: 140.2.
- Carries: 420.
- Rushing yards: 1,445.
- Rushing TDs: 23.
Daniels was named to the All-Big 12 second team in 2022, when he completed 66.1% of his passes for 2,014 yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions while adding 425 yards and seven scores on the ground.
Daniels also enjoyed a quality super-senior season, during which he completed 62.1% of his passes for 2,531 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions while adding 404 yards and four scores on the ground. That helped him get into the discussion as a potential NFL-caliber quarterback, with some NFL draft analysts pegging the 23-year-old as a potential Day 3 pick.
Was Jalon Daniels drafted?
Despite his strong final season at Kansas, Daniels was not one of the 10 quarterbacks to be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. He fell to the ranks of the undrafted but was quickly scooped up by the Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay gave him a $25,000 signing bonus, indicating he was one of their top-priority free agents following the draft.
Jalon Daniels contract details
Daniels inked a three-year deal with the Buccaneers after going undrafted. Below are the full details of the pact, per Spotrac.com.
- Term: 3 years.
- Total value: $3.125 million.
- Average annual value (AAV): $1.04 million.
- Guaranteed money: $272,500.
Is Jalon Daniels related to Jayden Daniels?
Although Jalon Daniels shares a strikingly similar name to Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, the two are not related.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Who is Jalon Daniels? Rookie Bucs QB dropped 400+ yards on UC in 2025
