NFF National Scholar-Athletes
Jalon Daniels, QB – Kansas
3.58 GPA – Sport Management
Head Coach: Lance Leipold | Athletics Director: Travis Goff
Faculty Athletics Representative: Susan Stagg-Williams
Coach Eddie Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award Endowed by the George M. Steinbrenner Family and the New York Yankees Foundation
A dynamic playmaker and inspirational leader, Jalon Daniels added a new dimension to Kansas' offense, helping the Jayhawk program reach new levels of gridiron success while excelling in the classroom. The Lawndale, California, native now becomes the fifth NFF National Scholar-Athlete from Kansas.
Daniels graduated in December 2024 with a degree in sport management (3.58 GPA) and a minor in business, and he is currently pursuing graduate work in public and nonprofit management. The 2024-25 Big 12 Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year—the first in Kansas history—he earned CSC Second Team Academic All-America honors in 2022 and is a five-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree.
A five-year letterman and the program's first four-time team captain, Daniels earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors in 2022. This season he has completed 130 passes for 1,752 yards and 18 touchdowns. His totals place him sixth in the nation for passing efficiency (178.80) and passing touchdowns (18) while ranking 12th for yards per pass attempt (9.42) and among the top 15 in several other categories. His career totals place him among the best quarterbacks in KU history, completing 666- passes for 8,503 yards and 63 touchdowns, all second in school history, while adding 1,242 rushing yards and 20 rushing scores.
Daniels guided the Jayhawks to their first bowl berth since 2008 with an appearance in the 2022 Liberty Bowl, followed by a 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl victory, marking just the second time in program history Kansas earned back-to-back bowl appearances. The Jayhawks have appeared in the AP Top 25 nine times during his career. He notched a signature 57-56 upset of Texas in 2021, which ended a 56-game Big 12 road losing streak for KU. He set school and Liberty Bowl records in 2022 with 544 passing yards and six total touchdowns, becoming the first FBS player ever to throw for more than 500 yards, five touchdowns, and rush for a touchdown in a single game.
Daniels founded the MOM2JD6 Foundation, which supports single mothers raising athletic children through mentorship, training, financial aid, and community resources. He serves on the Kansas Football Leadership Council and helped the Jayhawks contribute a program-record 500+ hours of community service.
(All stats as of Oct. 22, 2025)
