It's that time in the offseason. We're just days away training camp from starting, and the excitement in the air is palpable. Through this point in the summer, most of the hype goes to the most recent rookie class, as highlight plays in rookie minicamp and OTAs is the best way to start believing in a prospect.
And this what the Atlanta Falcons have been learning. When the Falcons selected Oklahoma linebacker Kendal Daniels in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, fans were instantly captivated. A 6-foot-5, 240-pound converted-safety who moves like a defensive back? That is a rare breed now.
Falcons fans see no world in which this guy doesn't eventually become a cornerstone of this defense. It isn't every day you find the perfect Jeff Ulbrich LB on the third day of the draft. And for a team that's still reeling from the loss of Kaden Elliss in free agency, they're banking on him filling some big shoes.
The Falcons will finally get to evaluate Kendal Daniels in training camp
However, the Daniels hype has subsided before it ever had a chance to truly take off, and it is by no fault of his own. The 23-year-old was sidelined through all of mandatory minicamp due to the same calf injury that plagued him in college, and was even seen in a walking boot earlier this offseason.
Thankfully, the summer break came at a good time, and Kendal Daniels was able to take advantage. The AJC's Daniel Flick reported that the rookie expects to be full go in training camp, which means the chance for that hype to take off may not have come yet, but don't be fooled-- it's coming soon.
The former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year has a rare ability to play all over the football field--and the Dirty Birds are going to take advantage. His role in college was so unique that Sooners head coach Brent Venables played him in a "cheetah" role to use his physical tools all over the formation.
He lined up at safety, at linebacker, and even off the edge, because a player with Daniels' blend of size and speed is going to be a matchup nightmare regardless of where he lines up. But Atlanta should see him as a long-term running mate to another safety-turned-LB in new green dot Divine Deablo.
Assuming Daniels' projection is correct and he is full speed ahead once the Falcons start training camp on July 29, we'll finally see the player who jumped off the screen in college. And it shouldn't take long for his athleticism to again shine through so he can make an instant impact.
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