No matter how you try to spin it, Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels did not live up to expectations in the 2024 season.
Granted, he competed in all 12 games without sustaining a serious injury — a feat he had never accomplished at the collegiate level — but the on-field play was underwhelming nonetheless. Daniels single-handedly lost Kansas multiple games with untimely turnovers and poor decision-making.
After a disappointing 5-7 campaign that saw the Jayhawks miss a bowl game, Daniels announced that he would return to KU for one last ride.
247 Sports analyst Brad Crawford believes that “JD6” can bounce back to his old form in the upcoming season, rating him the No. 26 quarterback in the country in his latest rankings.
“Fully-healthy for the first time in two seasons, Daniels can get back to destroying Big 12 defenses with his legs,” Crawford wrote.
Daniels finished just behind fellow quarterbacks in the conference, like No. 25 Behren Morton (Texas Tech) and No. 23 Avery Johnson (Kansas State).
Coming off a devastating back injury the previous season while shaking off some rust, Daniels had an excuse for his up-and-down play last year.
His completion percentage dropped nearly 10 points from 2022, dipping well below 60%. Additionally, he threw 12 interceptions, tied for the worst number in the Big 12.
While he showed flashes of his arm talent, there still seemed to be something wrong with Daniels all year, either physical or psychological.
All eyes will be on Daniels moving forward, who is working with a new receiving corps and has a massive chip on his shoulder. Fans hope he can salvage the version of himself that was put into early Heisman Trophy conversations three years ago.
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