The terminology “week zero” will always seem strange to me. Every year, week zero comes and goes, and the very concept still remains extremely bizarre. I doubt that will ever change, but hey, at least it’s another reason to listen to a phenomenal ’90s alt rock song, “Zero” by the Smashing Pumpkins.
Week zero is unique in that the schedule is pretty light, so if you’re playing that Saturday, chances are that more eyeballs than normal will be on you. It’s a great opportunity to get some more pub and maybe improve your draft stock.
Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels did just that going 18-20 passing for 176 yards and three touchdowns. He had more TD passes than incompletions, and that yielded him a QBR of 86.7 in KU’s 31-7 destruction of Fresno St.
Although the number of competitors was small, Daniels was PFF’s highest rated QB of week zero, registering a 90.1
What a day for Jalon Daniels 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cTRPcdqVQx
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 24, 2025
Week Zero NFL Draft Stock Report: Jalon Daniels, Grade BUY
This is exactly what Daniels needed, if he truly has designs on getting to the National Football League. As we profiled in detail, in an earlier article, the Jayhawks dual threat QB doesn’t have high draft stock right now. His valuations are all over the place, and basically unfavorable for the most part.
He answered the bell on that here though. The most critical component to improving his stock is just staying healthy. This is his sixth year of playing college football, so he is indeed in Brandon Peters territory here. In those previous five seasons, Daniels spent a lot of time resting and recovering from injury.
So scouts want to see him both improve and maintain his durability; over the long haul. This was a great start.