Prior to the NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs brought former Kansas star quarterback Jalon Daniels in for a lengthy workout and meetings.
Daniels went undrafted but several teams, including the Chiefs, are probably wishing they’d called his name on draft day. For the second straight week, Daniels rallied the Buccaneers in the second half for a win – this time a 16-15 victory against the Chiefs on Saturday night in Tampa, Fla.
Daniels completed 9 of 14 passes for 71 yards and a touchdown and led the Bucs to three-straight scoring drives in the second half.
“I just come in with confidence,” Daniels said after the game. “I think I’m very confident with everything I do within this game of football. I’ve been playing since I was seven years old. And when you think of it like that, when you go out there and play football, you’re kind of like, ‘All right, man. I’ve been dreaming of being in this position since I was young and every single opportunity that comes my way, whenever my number is called, I’m going to go out there and do it 100 percent confidently and do it with a smile.”
Daniels opened the second half and led Bucs on a seven-play, 49-yard drive that culminated with a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ko Kieft. Daniels took the snap, rolled right and found Kieft over the middle.
“One thing that I learned at the University of Kansas is something called rule of zero,” Daniels said. “Rule of zero just means you want to be able to get back to the line of scrimmage no matter what. You don’t want to make a bad play worse sometimes. The defense, they get paid to go out there and play. So when they’re out there doing what they can, and you’re able to extend the play and continue to be able to move the sticks, that’s something I want to be able to do.
“But at the end of the day if the defense is doing their job, I’m going to do what I can to get to the line of scrimmage. And if I can’t, I’m going to throw the ball away.”
Daniels added four carries for 19 yards and got the Chiefs to jump offsides late in the fourth to close out the game.
“He made some plays, some clutch plays,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. “Obviously there’s a lot of things he’s got to learn but at the same time he goes out there and makes things happen and gives us a chance to win.”
As an undrafted player, Daniels at one time was at the bottom of the QB depth chart. But now he may be leading the race to back up Baker Mayfield. Daniels said teammates like wide receivers Cameron Johnson and Garrett Green and other veterans have helped him tremendously as he learns the ropes in the NFL.
“They’ve seen a lot of quarterbacks come into the NFL, they’ve seen a lot of things,” Daniels said. “They were able to help me with a lot of things, especially being able to communicate in the huddle, being able to see things differently and being able to make sure that when we are at the line of scrimmage how to be able to operate that and make sure things continue to go smoothly.
“So hat’s off to those guys for being able to welcome me with open arms and being a UDFA rookie. And I think that they are guys who have helped me continue to grow.”
