The first rookie quarterback to make a start during the 2026 NFL season was not the draft's No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Nor was it fellow first-round selection Ty Simpson or Day 2 selection Carson Beck, who many believed would become the Arizona Cardinals' starter sooner rather than later.
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 started the Buccaneers' Week 4 loss to the Green Bay Packers 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.
Daniels comported himself reasonably well in his debut start, completing 19 of 27 passes
for 148 yards and a touchdown while running for 55 yards on eight carries. However, he also tossed two interceptions and was sacked three times in the 17-14 defeat.
Mayfield is expected to be out several more weeks because of his thumb injury, so Daniels will continue to have the runway to prove himself after beating Jake Browning for Tampa Bay's backup job during the preseason.
Here's more to know about Daniels as he prepares to lead the Buccaneers into battle against the Dallas Cowboys on "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.
Daniels' start against the Packers in Week 4 marked the first time a Jayhawks quarterback had started an NFL game since Mike Norseth in 1988. And Daniels was the first Kansas quarterback to both start a game and attempt a pass since Frank Seurer in 1987.
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
Buccaneers QB depth chart
Daniels is one of four quarterbacks currently in the Buccaneers' organization. The pecking order within that unit is as follows:
- Baker Mayfield (injured)
- Jalon Daniels
- Easton Stick (practice squad)
- Brett Rypien (practice squad)
Stick served as the backup to Daniels in the Buccaneers' Week 4 game against the Packers. The 31-year-old joined the team on eve of the 2026 NFL season to serve as Tampa Bay's third-string quarterback after Daniels beat Browning for the backup job.
Stick has made four career NFL starts, losing all of them. He has completed 64% of his passes for 1,143 yards, three touchdowns and an interception and has familiarity with Buccaneers offensive coordinator Zac Robinson from their time together with the Atlanta Falcons during the 2025 season.
Meanwhile, Rypien signed with Tampa Bay's practice squad on Sept. 30. The 30-year-old has played for 10 different NFL teams, posting a 2-2 record in four starts despite completing just 58.3% of his passes for 950 yards, four touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Is Jalon Daniels related to Jayden Daniels?
While Jalon Daniels shares a strikingly similar name to Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, the two are not related.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Jalon Daniels? What to know about rookie filling in for Baker Mayfield
