Jalon Daniels ready to compete at the highest level, picks Kansas
Jalon Daniels is a name that started to leak out in the last few days and Kansas fans took notice. While his name might have stayed down in recruiting circles it didn’t with Brent Dearmon.
The Jayhawks offensive coordinator has known about Daniels for a long time and had communication with him dating back 10 months.
“Coach Dearmon has always been looking at me, since last February,” Daniels said. “Everybody knows he got the offensive coordinator job mid-season. So that enabled him to recruit who he felt was needed and he believed that I was able to fit into his offense.”
Daniels was a long-time commitment to Middle Tennessee State and also had offers from Louisiana, New Mexico State, Air Force, Army, among others.
He said one of the hardest things to do was inform the Middle Tennessee coaches that he was decommitting since committing over the summer. Last weekend he took his official visit there.
His next step in the recruiting process was to tell Dearmon and Kansas head coach Les Miles he was ready to be a Jayhawk.
“Coach Dearmon was very excited,” Daniels said. “He was very, very surprised. He didn't think that I would be willing to even de-commit from Middle Tennessee at all. So, he was pretty excited. I talked to Les Miles probably about 10 minutes after I told Coach Dearmon. He was also excited.”
Daniels made a name for himself the last two seasons. As a junior he led Lawndale to the state championship. He followed that with another good season this year where he threw for 1910 yards and ran for another 1108. For his career he threw for over 4,000 yards and ran for over 2,000.
One factor that led Daniels to Kansas was the reputation Dearmon has developing quarterbacks in his system.
“He's a professional with the RPO offense and that's something that I want to progress myself in,” Daniels said. “Since I've been used to being a pro-style quarterback my high school career. That’s something I feel like I need to develop in order in order for me to get to the next level.”
Dearmon told Daniels he likes his ability to extend plays with his feet and the RPO offense will be a good fit for him.
Daniels also has a good impression of Kansas from one of the coaches at his high school. Former Jayhawk standout Charles Gordon is on staff at Lawndale. Gordon played at Kansas for Mark Mangino and helped the Jayhawks to two bowl games before leaving for the NFL.
“He's always spoke highly of Kansas,” Daniels said of Gordon. “He is always telling the team about how Lawrence is, how great the area is, how great the football program is, and how he feels that Coach Miles will be turning that program around again.”
Signing day brought the chance for Daniels to land at a Big 12 school and show people what he can do in the future.
“This is a dream that I've had since I was young,” he said. “I've always wanted to be able to compete with the best. My Godfather's told me growing up, ‘In order to be one of the best you have to compete with the best.’
So, I feel that playing in the Big 12 is going to help me compete with everybody who is going to be good enough to get to the next level.”