Daugherty laid the foundation for what could be an impactful prep career as a Council Bluffs Jefferson freshman last season. His progress has been noticeable this campaign. Thirteen of his 17.5 tackles have been of the solo variety. He’s accumulated 6.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. There’s not a lot of new film to go off of from this season, but I wrote last year that I appreciated Daugherty’s versatility and opportunity to develop at multiple spots. That certainly remains the same when watching his highlights from the first five weeks of 2026. Daugherty is a handful to stop coming off defensive line. He’s too fast for bigger guys and overpowers smaller ones. There’s bend and good pad level. Daugherty remains a prospect on the rise.

As a freshman in 2025, Daugherty laid the groundwork for a bright future. The ninth-grader registered 6.5 tackles (4 solo, 1.0 TFL). When popping on his highlight tape of his varsity reps, we witness Daugherty operate with strength and physicality beyond his years. He’s impactful at the point of attack and achieves a leverage advantage more often than not. On a three-man front, Daugherty proves effective lining up inside or at end, which illustrates his quickness and athleticism. He reports running the 40-yard dash in 5.3 seconds, the 100 meters in 13.5 and the shuttle in 4.4 with a 25-inch vertical leap. Daugherty lists his bench press at 205 pounds with two reps at 185 with 450 on the deadlift and 280 on the squat.