From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Miami (FL) WR CJ Daniels.<\/p>\n
No. 7 CJ Daniels\/WR\/Miami (FL) \u2013 6020, 202 pounds (R-Senior \u2013 6th year)
\nMEASUREMENTS<\/p>\n
Player
\nHt\/Wt
\nHand Size
\nArm Length
\nWingspan<\/p>\n
CJ Daniels
\n6020\/202
\n9 1\/4\u2033
\n31 3\/4\u2033
\n78 3\/4\u2033<\/p>\n
40-Yard Dash
\n10-Yard Dash
\nShort Shuttle
\n3-Cone<\/p>\n
4.62
\n1.61
\n4.27
\n7.03<\/p>\n
Broad Jump
\nVertical
\nBench Press<\/p>\n
10\u20193\u2033
\n34 1\/2\u2033
\nN\/A<\/p>\n
The Good<\/p>\n
\u2013 Good size
\u2013 Solid in contested catch situations
\u2013 Flashes hands late to mislead DBs in coverage
\u2013 Very good hands; capable of spectacular catches
\u2013 Good ball tracking; adjusts well to the ball in the air
\u2013 Willing and able blocker; high effort
\u2013 Crafty route runner
\u2013 Precise routes<\/p>\n
The Bad<\/p>\n
\u2013 Lacks long speed or burst to consistently separate
\u2013 Just adequate after the catch with no breakaway capability
\u2013 Clunky footwork; wastes movement and loses speed at the top of the route stem trying to create separation
\u2013 Extensive injury history<\/p>\n
Stats<\/p>\n
\u2013 Career: 198 receptions, 2,996 yards, 29 total TDs in 66 games
\u2013 2025: 50 receptions, 557 yards, 7 TDs in 13 games
\u2013 Career snaps: 2,854 (2,338 wide, 492 slot)
\u2013 2025 snaps: 597 (497 wide, 88 slot)
\u2013 PFF: 908 YAC (4.6 avg.), 9 drops (4.3 percent drop rate), 62.3 contested catch rate, 31 missed tackles forced, 10 penalties
\u2013 PFF\u2019s No. 136th-ranked WR in 2025<\/p>\n
Injury History<\/p>\n
\u2013 Missed 3 games with a lower-leg injury in 2025
\u2013 Missed 2 games with a leg and foot injury in 2024
\u2013 Missed 9 games with various undisclosed injuries (including knee) in 2022<\/p>\n
Bio<\/p>\n
\u2013 24 years old Tape Breakdown<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start this thing off with a bang. He made maybe the best catch in all of football (including the NFL) last year against Notre Dame. Here are two angles of him elevating, using his entire wingspan, and snatching the ball out of the air with one hand for a deep touchdown in double coverage. Also, pay close attention to how his crafty route running got him open.<\/p>\n That crafty route running can help him, or completely take him out of the play. He doesn\u2019t have elite speed or quickness, so he often needs craftiness to get open. Against press coverage, he does well with his release and steam. When he has a cushion against a DB, he wastes time trying to get a bite.<\/p>\n Other than his occasionally sloppy footwork on his fakes, he runs precise routes. If you want him on a five-yard hitch, he will be right on the five-yard mark. He also breaks routes flat and doesn\u2019t drift off the mark.<\/p>\n He catches everything that comes his way, and part of that is his ability to track the ball and adjust to it in the air. He could one day carve out a niche as a back-shoulder artist like George Pickens was early in his career.<\/p>\n Limited athleticism holds him back after the catch, but he has good contact balance and can spin off of contact to force missed tackles.<\/p>\n Daniels is a committed blocker who does whatever it takes for his team. He can motion in-line and lead block through a hole, transition into a blocker deep down field, or dig out a linebacker on a screen.<\/p>\n Conclusion<\/p>\n Daniels is a well-kept secret in this draft class. His position\u2019s primary job is to catch the football, and Daniels does that well. He relies on crafty route running and contested-catch skills to make plays. He might find himself in the good graces of his future quarterback due to running precise routes and adjusting to balls in the air. The only question is whether he can contribute on special teams. He doesn\u2019t have the athletic profile to be an impact player there, which hampers his chance of making a roster and developing further on offense.<\/p>\n He has a similar question and upside to Allen Lazard when he first entered the NFL.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Originally a three-star prospect out of Parkview High School in Lilburn, Georgia
\u2013 Earned first starts as RS-freshman at Liberty in 2021
\u2013 Spent four years at Liberty, one at LSU, before finishing final year at Miami (FL)
\u2013 Mother has battled epilepsy for decades, leading Daniels to be the VP of Angels of Epilepsy non-profit<\/a>
\u2013 Mother\u2019s health struggles forced him to grow up fast and be a caregiver at a young age<\/p>\n