final poll – the highest final ranking in school history – and #5 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll. Daniel also announced he was returning for his senior season after putting his name in with the NFL College Advisory Committee to receive feedback for the NFL Draft. 2008 season In the 2008 preseason, Daniel was named one of 26 candidates for the 2008 Unitas Award, given to the nation's best senior college football quarterback. He continued to break virtually all Mizzou passing records, and in a two-game span against Southeast Missouri State and Nevada, he threw for more touchdowns (seven) than he did incomplete passes (six). Daniel appeared on the cover of ESPN the Magazine with teammate Chase Patton. Daniel donned #25 in honor of fallen teammate Aaron O'Neal. O'Neal died before beginning his freshman year during practice in July 2005, and would have been a senior in 2008. The number rotated among the senior class that season. Daniel became the Missouri career total offense yardage leader on December 6, with 13,256. He moved ahead of Brad Smith. Missouri finished with 10 wins and a #19 ranking in AP Polls. Missouri ended 2008 with a 10-win record, culminating with a victory over Northwestern in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Statistics Awards and honors 2× Heisman Trophy candidate (2007, 2008) 2006 First-team Academic All-Big 12 2006 ESPN The Magazine First-team Academic All-District 2006 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (Sep 4 and Nov. 27) 2006 AP Honorable Mention All-Big 12 2006 Second-team All-Big 12 2007–08 Big 12 Male Athlete of the Year 2007 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (Oct 8, Nov 5, and Nov. 26) 2007 First-team Academic All-Big 12 2007 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First-team 2007 First Team All-Big 12 (AP, Coaches) 2007 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (AP, Coaches) 2007 All-America Honorable Mention (Sports Illustrated) 2007 All-America Second-team (AP, Walter Camp, Sporting News) 2007 Maxwell Award semifinalist 2007 finalist for Manning Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O'Brien Award 2007 Heisman Trophy finalist – finished 4th 2008 Preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year 2008 Draddy Trophy runner-up Professional career Some scouts considered Daniel among the best quarterbacks in the 2009 Draft, but they had concerns about his height and whether his skills in the college spread offense would translate to the very different game played in the NFL. Daniel's height was measured as