CJ Daniels is a wide receiver and 2026 NFL Draft prospect who finished his collegiate career at the University of Miami after previous stops at Liberty and LSU. A native of Lilburn, Georgia, Daniels was a three-star recruit out of Parkview High School who committed to Liberty and became one of the program's most productive receivers over four seasons. He appeared in 11 games as a true freshman in 2020 and earned second-team All-Conference USA honors in 2023 after posting 55 receptions for 1,067 yards and 10 touchdowns, helping Liberty to a 13-1 record and the program's first New Year's Six Bowl appearance against Oregon. He transferred to LSU for 2024, where he started 10 of 11 games and caught 42 passes for 480 yards before transferring again to Miami for his final season in 2025, where he posted 50 catches for 557 yards and seven touchdowns across 13 games, including a College Football Playoff appearance. His career totals across three programs stand at 198 receptions for 2,996 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Measured at 6-foot-2 and approximately 202 pounds, Daniels is a smart, patient route runner with a refined feel for space, clean releases, and the ability to finish through contact at the catch point. He recorded zero drops on 42 catches at LSU in 2024 and converted 64.7 percent of contested targets at Miami in 2025, reflecting the reliable hands and focus that have been among his most consistent strengths. His best work comes on intermediate routes including digs, comebacks, and crossers, where his leverage manipulation and feel for zones allow him to find windows consistently. His limitations include below-average athleticism and top-end speed that prevent him from winning cleanly against tight man coverage, modest yards after catch production, and age, as he will enter the NFL as one of the older skill position players in the class. Daniels projects as a Day 3 pick with immediate value as a reliable possession option and a realistic path to a rotational role as a boundary or move receiver in an intermediate-focused passing offense.
