Jalon Daniels report card: Grading the Buccaneers rookie QB in his first NFL start

Undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels made his first NFL start on Sunday for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in place of the injured Baker Mayfield.

Daniels didn’t lead the Buccaneers to their first victory of the season, as Tampa Bay fell just short in a 17-14 loss. The rookie showed some promising flashes, but also had some typical rookie moments that he’ll need to learn from. 

So all in all, how did Daniels grade out in his NFL debut? 

Grading Jalon Daniels’ NFL debut for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Passing: B-

Daniels finished 19-of-27 for 148 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. He had some impressive throws, showing off his elite arm strength with high-velocity passes.

The vast majority of his passes were less than 10 yards downfield, so he wasn’t asked to do anything overly difficult, but the rookie had a solid passing performance nonetheless. 

Decision-Making: D

I mentioned Daniels threw two interceptions, and both were bad, reckless throws where he unnecessarily put the ball in harm's way.

Even worse, both turnovers happened in Green Bay territory, taking potential points off the board in a game the Buccaneers lost by only three points.

If Daniels protected the football better, the Buccaneers would’ve walked away with their first victory of the year. 

Rushing: A

Where Daniels shined the most was on the ground, where he rushed for 55 yards — the most ever in a single game by a Buccaneers quarterback.

On several occasions, Daniels turned a negative play into a neutral or even positive play by scrambling.

He had several chain-movers in the form of an 11-yard run and a 21-yard run. His dangerous speed adds a new dimension to the offense that defenses must prepare for, or they'll pay the price.

Poise: B-

Daniels faced plenty of adversity in his pro debut. After committing two first-half turnovers and falling into a 17-7 hole, it would have been easy for the rookie to unravel. 

Instead, Daniels settled down and continued to make plays. He pieced together a few scoring drives and kept the Buccaneers within striking distance late in the game.

For a player making his first NFL start, Daniels showed encouraging poise even when things weren’t going his way. 

Overall Grade: C+

Daniels’ debut was far from perfect, and while there were several critical mistakes he’d love to have back, he also showed some real promise down the stretch. 

If Daniels can build on the positive moments and minimize the negative plays, the Bucs will have a real shot to win some games while he’s at the helm.

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