2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report: James Daniels

2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Home Adonis Alexander, CB, Virginia Tech Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma Dorance Armstrong, DE, Kansas Marcel Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State Sam Beal, CB, Western Michigan Andrew Brown, DE, Virginia Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma Taven Bryan, DT, Florida Lorenzo Carter, LB, Georgia D.J. Chark, WR, LSU Geron Christian, OT, Louisville Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia Simmie Cobbs, WR, Indiana Tyrell Crosby, OT, Oregon James Daniels, C, Iowa Sam Darnold, QB, USC Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn Duke Dawson, CB, Florida Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech Duke Ejiofor, DE, Wake Forest Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama Luke Falk, QB, Washington State Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State Rasheem Green, DT, USC Derrius Guice, RB, LSU DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State Da'Shawn Hand, DE, Alabama Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama Will Hernandez, G, UTEP Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan Donte Jackson, CB, LSU Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa Derwin James, S, Florida State Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn Ronald Jones, RB, USC Arden Key, DE, LSU Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia Harold Landry, DE, Boston College Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State Iman Marshall, CB, USC Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame Sony Michel, RB, Georgia Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland Nick Nelson, CB, Wisconsin Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado Brian O'Neill, OT, Pittsburgh Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford Billy Price, C, Ohio State Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State Justin Reid, S, Stanford Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State Jaylen Samuels, RB, N.C. State Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech Braden Smith, G, Auburn Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU Chad Thomas, DE, Miami Trenton Thompson, DT, Georgia Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State Vita Vea, DT, Washington Akrum Wadley, RB, Iowa Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson Connor Williams, OT, Texas Isaiah Wynn, G, Georgia

James Daniels, 6-3/306 Center Iowa

James Daniels Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Fires off the line

Very fast to the second level

Excellent athlete

Very agile

Impactful run blocker

Heavy hands

Generates movement in the ground game

Sustains blocks

Physical

Can manipulate in the ground game

Bullies defenders and blocks through the whistle

Has quality technique

Good hand placement

Adept at pulling

Agile in space

Awareness

Functional strength

Dependable pass protector

Ability to bend

Has quick enough feet

Can bend at the knee

Experienced against good competition

Intelligent

Weaknesses:

Could use more strength in his base for heavy nose tackles

Short height

Short arms (33.75)

Lower weight

May not be able to stick at guard

Summary: When watching offensive linemen, blinding speed typically isn’t one of the attributes that stands out about a player, but that is the case with Daniels. The standout former Hawkeye is extremely fast and is a blur firing to the second level. He is a nightmare for linebackers as he is able to get to spots in an instant that other blockers are incapable of reaching. For the next level, Daniels looks like a future starting center who could go to Pro Bowls early in his NFL career.

As a run blocker, Daniels is lightning fast to the second level, and he a tremendous blocker in space. Even though Daniels isn’t the biggest of interior blockers, he has functional strength to sustain his blocks through the whistle. When Daniels gets his hands on defenders, they are in serious trouble as he rides them around the field.

Daniels is a steady pass protector. He is very quick at the point of attack with excellent short-area speed and athleticism. Daniels is fast to react to speed rushers and keep them from firing by him. For the NFL, he could use more strength and weight in his base to handle the heavy nose tackles, especially the elite 3-4 nose tackles who give a lot of centers problems as zero-techniques. Once Daniels adds more strength to his base, he should be an excellent pass protector as a pro.

Because of the lack of length, height and weight, Daniels could have limitations to being played at guard and may only fit as a center in the NFL. With his skill set, Daniels could fit a power-man blocking scheme and definitely is a great fit for a zone-blocking scheme. In the 2018 NFL Draft, Daniels is likely to be a second-round pick.



Player Comparison: Rodney Hudson. Hudson has been one of the top centers in the NFL since being a second-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Daniels is nearly the same size as Hudson (6-2, 300), and both are technicians with, quickness, and good athletic skill sets. In the NFL, I could see Daniels being a center comparable to Hudson.

NFL Matches: Washington, New York Giants, Detroit, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee and Los Angeles Chargers

There are a lot of teams that could consider an upgrade at center. Washington could use help at center, and Daniels would be a nice fit in Jay Gruden’s offense. The Giants lost Weston Richburg in free agency, and if they don’t feel Brett Jones is the long-term answer, they could consider Daniels on Day 2 of the 2018 NFL Draft.

The Lions could consider an upgrade at center, and Daniels would be a nice value for Detroit in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Buffalo lost Eric Wood to retirement, and Daniels could make a ton of sense for one of the Bills’ second-round picks.

The Bengals could use a center upgrade. Daniels could fit Cincinnati in the second round. Tennessee needs an improvement over Ben Jones at center, and Daniels could be a great fit for the Titans.

The Rams re-signed John Sullivan, but he is aging, and Daniels could become their long-term starter. Staying in the city of angels, the Chargers signed Mike Pouncey to a 2-year contract, but they could think of adding a long-term blocker in the middle of the line.

2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Home Adonis Alexander, CB, Virginia Tech Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma Dorance Armstrong, DE, Kansas Marcel Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State Sam Beal, CB, Western Michigan Andrew Brown, DE, Virginia Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma Taven Bryan, DT, Florida Lorenzo Carter, LB, Georgia D.J. Chark, WR, LSU Geron Christian, OT, Louisville Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia Simmie Cobbs, WR, Indiana Tyrell Crosby, OT, Oregon James Daniels, C, Iowa Sam Darnold, QB, USC Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn Duke Dawson, CB, Florida Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech Duke Ejiofor, DE, Wake Forest Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama Luke Falk, QB, Washington State Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State Rasheem Green, DT, USC Derrius Guice, RB, LSU DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State Da'Shawn Hand, DE, Alabama Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama Will Hernandez, G, UTEP Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan Donte Jackson, CB, LSU Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa Derwin James, S, Florida State Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn Ronald Jones, RB, USC Arden Key, DE, LSU Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia Harold Landry, DE, Boston College Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State Iman Marshall, CB, USC Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame Sony Michel, RB, Georgia Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland Nick Nelson, CB, Wisconsin Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado Brian O'Neill, OT, Pittsburgh Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford Billy Price, C, Ohio State Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State Justin Reid, S, Stanford Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State Jaylen Samuels, RB, N.C. State Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech Braden Smith, G, Auburn Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU Chad Thomas, DE, Miami Trenton Thompson, DT, Georgia Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State Vita Vea, DT, Washington Akrum Wadley, RB, Iowa Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson Connor Williams, OT, Texas Isaiah Wynn, G, Georgia

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