CJ Daniels Scouting Report

CJ Daniels is a crafty receiver who has a high IQ and understanding of how to get open and be an available target for a quarterback.

Draft Grade: Round 4 - Developmental Traits 

Strengths:

Natural Hands Catcher: Daniels does a good job of catching the football with his hands. Daniels can extend his hands away from his body and pluck the ball out of the air. This ability expands his overall catch radius. 

Versatility: Daniels is an alignment-versatile receiver who fills multiple roles for an offense. Daniels’ IQ allows him to get open from multiple alignments consistently.

Route Runner: Daniels is a detailed route runner who understands how to get open versus both man and zone coverage. 

Concerns:

Speed: Daniels’ overall athletic profile lacks top-end speed, which may limit his ability to create explosive plays in the NFL.

RAC Ability: Daniels is a possession receiver who thrives in the short and intermediate portions of the field. His run-after-catch ability is limited by his average quickness and elusiveness in the open field.

CJ Daniels Summary/Projection:

CJ Daniels was a standout wide receiver for the Liberty Flames in 2023 before transferring to LSU for the 2024 season, where he struggled to build a consistent connection and garner a high target share in a receiver room loaded with NFL talent. At Miami, Daniels is the veteran in the room and has regained a high target share, appearing to be a go-to option for Miami quarterback Carson Beck.

Daniels fits the versatile "Z" role in an NFL offense and can serve as a second, third, or fourth option in the passing game. He’s a field stretcher with an in-depth understanding of how to attack and manipulate defensive backs, showing a strong feel for blind spots and leverage. He combines that knowledge with impressively late, reliable hands, offering the complete package as a downfield threat. Throughout his career, Daniels has been an alignment-versatile receiver who has made an impact from various spots on the field, which should translate seamlessly to the NFL.

At Miami, Daniels has showcased his ability to be a complete receiver who can win at all three levels of the field. His NFL Draft stock will likely depend on a team’s willingness to buy into the detailed aspects of his game and how well those traits project to the next level.

The main area for improvement in Daniels’ game is his run-after-the-catch ability. Currently, he is often brought down by the first defender who gets to him. His athletic profile appears to lack elite-level twitch and suddenness to make defenders miss, and he doesn’t possess the top-end speed to simply run away from defenders in the open field. Daniels projects as a possession receiver who can line up across the formation and be a reliable target, but he may lack the athletic upside to create explosive plays consistently.