What makes CJ Daniels an NFL prospect

CJ Daniels is an American football wide receiver who played college football with three different programs before reaching the National Football League (NFL). Renowned for his productivity, reliability, and endurance, Daniels was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Who is CJ Daniels?

Born on January 4, 2002, Carlton "CJ" Daniels Jr. is an American professional football wide receiver who currently plays for the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL. The wide receiver prospect was born in Lilburn, Georgia, United States. He attended Parkview High School. His college football career started as he came out of high school, agreeing to play for the Liberty Flames.

After four seasons with Liberty, CJ Daniels decided to enter the NCAA transfer portal following the end of the 2023 season. Consequently, Daniels transferred to the LSU Tigers. At the time, he was able to demonstrate his college football experience, resilience, and skills. Despite the success CJ Daniels recorded with the LSU Tigers, he entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal again at the end of the 2024 season.

Then, he transferred to play for the Miami Hurricanes. While part of the Hurricanes' roster, CJ Daniels recorded significant success and proved himself as one of the team's top offensive performers.

In April this year, the Miami Hurricanes football player successfully transferred from college to professional football. CJ Daniels was drafted in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft and joined the roster of the Los Angeles Rams. Entering the NFL, Daniels leverages several strengths that position him well for further growth in professional football. Furthermore, he has a realistic chance to carve out a central position with the Rams.

CJ Daniels biography at a glance

• Name: Carlton "CJ" Daniels Jr.
• Born: January 4, 2002
• Birthplace: Lilburn, Georgia, United States
• Current residence: Los Angeles, California
• Age: 24
• Height: 6' 2" (1.88m)
• Weight: 202 lbs (92kg)
• Arms: 31 3/4"
• Hands: 9 1/4"
• Active since: 2020
• College football team: Liberty Flames (2020-2023), LSU Tigers (2024), Miami Hurricanes (2025)
• Professional football: Los Angeles Rams (2026-present)

From Liberty to LSU to Miami Hurricanes football

CJ Daniels enjoyed a lengthy early football career, playing six years at the collegiate level. In 2020, during his freshman season, he recorded 11 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns. The following season marked CJ Daniels' breakout, after he recorded 37 receptions for 634 yards along with seven touchdowns.

During his final season at Liberty, in 2023, the future NFL Draft pick set career-best numbers with 55 receptions, 1,067 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. After a total of four seasons at Liberty, CJ Daniels started 19 games and appeared in total of 42 games, recording 106 receptions for 1,959 yards along with 21 touchdowns. Following his 2023 college season performance at Liberty, he was named the 2023 All-Conference USA Second Team.

Transferring to LSU for the 2024 season, CJ Daniels continued to demonstrate his dedication and resilience. Although he was part of the LSU roster for a single season, he started 10 games and recorded 42 catches for 480 yards.

Following the 2024 season, CJ Daniels once again entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal and made it to the Miami Hurricanes football team roster. It didn't take long for the college football transfer player to demonstrate his abilities while playing with the Hurricanes. He started a total of 12 games for Miami in 2025.

The Hurricanes appeared in the College Football National Championship game in 2025, and CJ Daniels was among the team's top offensive performers. While he played for a single season for Miami, the future Los Angeles Rams wide receiver recorded 50 receptions for 557 yards along with seven touchdowns.

Overall, CJ Daniels had an incredibly successful college football career. He recorded a total of 198 receptions for 2,991 receiving yards, as well as 28 touchdowns, numbers positioning him in the sights of NFL scouts and evaluators.

Why CJ Daniels became an NFL Draft pick

NFL teams and scouts saw the potential of CJ Daniels, who demonstrated a combination of experience, reliability, and productivity. He performed well throughout his six college football seasons and was able to consistently contribute regardless of the conference, scheme or quarterback. Prior to CJ Daniels' NFL Draft entry, he had already accumulated nearly 3,000 receiving yards and close to three dozen touchdown receptions, figures that only worked in his favor.

One of the most important traits that Daniels demonstrated is his skill when football is in the air. In the two final college football seasons, he was in the spotlight after making difficult catches in traffic, while also securing contested throws. Ultimately, CJ Daniels' experience and productivity had proven his suitability for professional football.

CJ Daniels and the Los Angeles Rams opportunity

After his successful college football career spanning six years, CJ Daniels was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the sixth round with the 197th overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. His draft selection highlighted the confidence of NFL scouts and evaluators in his experience and maturity. The new Los Angeles Rams wide receiver joined the league at age 24.

The Rams' decision to pick CJ Daniels represents an intriguing opportunity to begin his professional football career. Undoubtedly, he will continue to build his skill set and learn valuable traits from his wide receiver colleagues Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, among other team members. This unique opportunity is expected to help Daniels develop while learning from two of the league's most productive pass catchers.

Picking the former Miami Hurricanes football college player marked an exciting moment for the Rams. The team's Assistant General Manager, John McKay, praised CJ Daniels' route running, strong hands and catch radius, saying in an interview following the NFL Draft: "He runs routes at a high level. He's got a great feel for the game. He's got a big catch radius, strong hands. So for us it was a great fit and we felt like he was one of the last ones still available that could really impact our team this year and moving forward."

Entering the NFL, CJ Daniels leverages several strengths, positioning him well for a lengthy career with the Rams and within the league. Tapping into experience in multiple offensive systems and having contested-catch ability and reliable hands, the Los Angeles Rams wide receiver is expected to continue to demonstrate his skills and adaptability, while overcoming new challenges.

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