Now the starter, QB Jalon Daniels is staying cool in the spotlight

Jalon Daniels knows the Packers will try to dial up the heat and apply pressure Sunday when he makes his first NFL start at quarterback. But the kid known for his cool under pressure isn't going to take the temperature about how he feels heading into his pro debut.

"I think that one thing I learned in college was, you can't be the thermometer, you have to be the thermostat," said Daniels, an undrafted rookie. "You have to be someone who comes in and is able to set the temperature of the room, not test the room and try to be able to blend in with it."

The Bucs originally planned for former Bengals quarterback Jake Browning to be the backup to starter Baker Mayfield . But Daniels outplayed him, and head coach Todd Bowles made the risky decision to make the former Kansas star No. 2.

"He earned it and he beat him out fair and square," Bowles said.

The Bucs have had remarkable luck in terms of continuity at quarterback. The last starter to miss a game for any reason was Jameis Winston , when he was suspended the first three games of the 2018 season for violating the league's personal conduct policy. But Winston was replaced by veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick .

Daniels played well in the preseason, leading comeback wins over the Jets and Chiefs. Mayfield hadn't missed a start in 54 games before suffering a dislocated thumb in Sunday's loss to the Vikings, which dropped the Bucs to 0-3.

So Daniels' job isn't just to keep the season afloat, he has to prevent it from sinking it completely before Mayfield returns. Daniels believes he's up for the challenge.

"I may not have been getting those reps, but as I've told you every single week, I prepare as if I'm going to go out there and get the starting reps. So whenever Bake is throwing to them, I'm behind him doing every single step that I can," Daniels said. "And when it comes to footwork, just standing behind and trying to be able to be on time just like Bake is. Obviously, I had a chance to be able to get reps with those guys (Wednesday) and I think it was a great start to the week."

In Sunday's 23-16 loss, Mayfield was sacked six times, putting him at 13 for the season, the most in the NFL. Daniels knows that the Packers will try to dial up pressure on him early and often.

Like Mayfield, Daniels has the ability to escape the pocket and either throw off-platform or make some plays with his feet. He rushed for 1,445 yards and 23 touchdowns with the Jayhawks.

"When the defense is locking everything up, sometimes you have to be able to get out of the pocket and try to be able to go make plays," Daniels said. "Because at the end of the day, at the quarterback position, your objective is to try to be able to move the chains on every play. … I try to get out of the pocket and find a receiver downfield. And if I can't find a receiver downfield, the objective is to be able to move the sticks.

"That's been part of my game since I've been playing football when I was 7 or 8 years old."

Daniels' teammates don't believe that starting against Green Bay , and likely four days later in Dallas , will be too big for him. He appeared in 49 games over parts of six seasons for the Jayhawks.

"He's played a lot of football in his life," Bowles said. "It's not about playing twice in 10 days. I think he's done that in college some and he's played against our defense from a pressure standpoint every day in the summer. There will just be all eyes on him as opposed to not on him.

"He's a very calm customer. He'll be comfortable very soon in the game and we just expect him to do his job and everybody else has got to do theirs."

Daniels has been underestimated for much of his career. Growing up in California, he took a backseat to Bryce Young , Jayden Daniels and D.J. Uiagalelei even though Jalon had led his high school to a state title in 2018.

On Sunday, he will become the first NFL rookie to start at quarterback this season.

"I don't even know if I can put it into words," he said. "I mean, obviously I've said it's a dream come true to even play for an NFL organization. So to be able to go out there and have my first NFL career start, it means everything."

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