LAWRENCE, Kan. – University of Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels has been named a finalist for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy, the nation’s premier scholar-athlete award. The award, announced by the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame, annually recognizes the nation's best football scholar-athlete – all divisions and the NAIA – based on combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
Daniels is one of 16 finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy and will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, presented by Fidelity Investments. He will travel to Las Vegas for the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino.
One member of the class will be selected the winner of the 35th William V. Campbell Trophy and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
Daniels becomes Kansas’ fifth NFF National Scholar-Athlete all-time joining Todd Reesing (2008), Tom Fitch (1977), Mike McCoy (1971) and Ron Oelschlager (1964).
Daniels, a native of Lawndale, Calif., is Kansas’ first four-time team captain and was Kansas’s first Big 12 Football Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2024. Daniels was recently named a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, awarded to honor exemplary leadership by a college player on and off the field.
Daniels is having a historic 2025 season, completing 130-of-186 passing for 1,752 yards and 18 touchdowns. Through seven games, Daniels' 18 passing touchdowns are tied for the sixth most in college football and are tied for his career high in a single season. Over his career, Daniels ranks among the best quarterbacks in program history, completing 666-of-1,060 passing for 8,503 yards and 63 touchdowns, all of which rank second in school history. Daniels has also rushed for 1,240 career rushing yards and 20 career rushing touchdowns.
Daniels has excelled on and off the field as a five-time Academic All-Big 12 member and a 2022 CSC Academic All-American. Daniels has also been very involved in community, launching the "Mom2JD6" Foundation committed to supporting single mothers raising athletic children by providing financial aid, mentorship, sports training, and community resources. Daniels also contributed to Kansas football’s offseason community service program, which dedicated a program record 517 hours of community service during the summer of 2025.
Submitted by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the Campbell Trophy® must be either a senior player who will complete his final year of eligibility during the 2025 season or be a graduated player or grad transfer who has already earned a bachelor’s degree and participating in the 2025 season; must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale; must have outstanding football ability as a starter/significant contributor; and must have exhibited exemplary leadership on the field, in the classroom and within the community.
Daniels is one of two finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy from the Big 12 Conference, joined by Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson. See below for a full list of 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy finalists:
- Jonah Coleman, RB – Washington // Education (3.91 GPA)
- James Conway, LB – Fordham // Marketing Information Systems (3.71 GPA)
- Jalon Daniels, QB – Kansas // Sport Management (3.58 GPA)
- Ty Dugger, DB – Harding (AR) // Accounting (3.92 GPA)
- Aaron Graves, DL – Iowa // Exercise Science (4.03 GPA)
- Blake Horvath, QB – Navy // Operations Research (3.69 GPA)
- Chandler Kirton, OL – Austin Peay // Management (3.92 GPA)
- Trey Moore, LB – Texas // Physical Culture & Sports (3.65 GPA)
- Red Murdock, LB – Buffalo // Psychology (3.46 GPA)
- Parker Navarro, QB – Ohio // Integrated Health Studies (3.96 GPA)
- Sawyer Robertson, QB – Baylor // Marketing (3.73 GPA)
- Eli Stowers, TE – Vanderbilt // Individual Studies (3.92 GPA)
- Jack Strand, QB – Minnesota State Moorhead // Engineering Physics (3.87 GPA)
- Andon Thomas, LB – Army West Point // Chemical Engineering (3.98 GPA)
- Jackson Waring, QB – Grand View (IA) // Psychology (3.88 GPA)