2017 - 2018 Player of the Year

National Football

Player portrait image
a picture of JT Daniels
FOOTBALL

JT Daniels

Quarterback
MATER DEI HS
SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA
JUNIOR
Height: 6-FOOT-1
Press Release

Peak Performance

3890

Passing yards

49-4

(TD-INT)

513

Rushing yards
“JT Daniels is definitely the real deal. He's an elite player. A leader. One of the best quarterbacks I’ve ever seen. He's also a great character kid off the field. He's a great choice by Gatorade.”
Greg Biggins
National Recruiting Analyst for 247Sports
excellence star

Athletic Excellence

The state’s returning Gatorade Player of the Year, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior quarterback had led the Monarchs to a 14-0 record and a berth in the State Open Division championship game against De La Salle High at the time of his selection. Ranked as the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2019 by Rivals.com, Daniels completed 242-of-335 passes for 3,890 yards and 49 touchdowns against just four interceptions through 14 games. He also rushed for 513 yards and seven scores on 57 carries. Entering the final game of his junior year, Daniels has passed for 11,781 yards and 149 touchdowns in his prep football career.

a graduation cap

Academic Achievement

Daniels has maintained a weighted 4.18 GPA in the classroom. He has verbally committed to play football on scholarship at the University of Southern California in the fall of 2019.

first place ribbon

Exemplary Character

Daniels has volunteered as part of Mater Dei’s Monarchs for Marines program supporting the troops and families of the First Marine Division stationed at nearby Camp Pendleton. He has also donated his time locally delivering care backpacks to the homeless and as a youth football coach. “JT Daniels has been an absolute beast this year,” said Pat Harlow, head coach of JSerra Catholic High. “I have not seen a player look so calm and collected in a long time. He has taken his game to another level this year. I have been very impressed with his play overall.”