A six-year college receiver who played his final season for a national championship contender at Miami, CJ Daniels brings some of the most reliable hands in his draft class to the Rams.
CJ Daniels is a rookie wide receiver who joined the Los Angeles Rams after the team traded up to select him in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Georgia native's college journey took him through Liberty, LSU and finally Miami, and he arrives in Los Angeles known for a drop rate that ranked among the best in the country over his final two collegiate seasons.
Path to the league
Daniels, born Carlton Daniels Jr., starred at Parkview High School in Lilburn, Georgia before committing to Liberty, where he played four seasons from 2020 to 2023. He transferred to LSU for the 2024 season and finished his college career at Miami in 2025, using a sixth year of eligibility before the Rams selected him with the 197th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, trading up ten spots to land him.
Career highlights
At Liberty, Daniels totaled 106 receptions for 1,954 yards and 21 touchdowns over four seasons, including a senior year with 55 catches for 1,067 yards and 10 touchdowns that earned him Second-team All-Conference USA honors. Over his final two college seasons at LSU and Miami combined, he caught 92 passes and dropped only two, a 2.1% drop rate that ranked first among qualified FBS wide receivers drafted in 2026.
2025 season recap
Playing his final college season at Miami, Daniels caught 50 passes for 557 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games, helping the Hurricanes reach the College Football Playoff National Championship Game before falling short of the title. He says he modeled his release package after Davante Adams and studied film on Rams teammate Puka Nacua ahead of joining Los Angeles.
Sources
- Wikipedia: CJ Daniels
- ESPN: CJ Daniels
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Wide Receiver
- Group
- offense
- College
- Miami
- Hometown
- Lilburn, GA, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
