Jalon Daniels wins Pop Warner College Football Award
Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels has been named the winner of the 2025 Pop Warner College Football Award, an honor that recognizes strong performance on the field and positive impact away from it. Daniels is the first player at KU to receive the award.
He was selected from a group of five finalists that included Tanner Wall of BYU, Aaron Graves of Iowa, Adam Randall of Clemson, and Josh Kattus of Kentucky.
In a statement, Daniels said he was grateful for the recognition and the role football has played in his life.
“I’m truly blessed and honored to receive the Pop Warner College Football Award,” Daniels said. “Growing up in youth football helped build my love for the game, and I hope I can continue to make a positive impact on young players for years to come.”
Pop Warner Little Scholars CEO Steve Strawbridge said Daniels stood out because of the way he carries himself on and off the field.
“Jalon represents everything this award stands for,” Strawbridge said. “He’s a talented athlete, a strong student and a caring leader in his community. Young athletes can look to him as an example of how to pursue excellence with character and commitment.”
Daniels has earned several academic and leadership honors during his Kansas career. He is the program’s first four-time team captain and became KU’s first Big 12 Football Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2024. He has also been a finalist for the Campbell Trophy and a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award. He graduated in 2025 with a 3.58 GPA in Sport Management.
Off the field, Daniels founded the “Mom2JD6” Foundation, which supports single mothers raising athletic children by offering financial help, mentorship and training resources. He also played a major role in Kansas football’s community service program, which recorded more than 500 hours of service last summer.
The Pop Warner Award is presented during the Pop Warner Super Bowl in Orlando, held December 7–14.
