When FanSided’s own Mike Luciano handed out his draft grades, the Atlanta Falcons' C+ grade didn’t exactly land near the top of the class.
“The Atlanta Falcons get a solid C+ for their performance in the 2026 NFL Draft. Which, it’s hard to get a high grade when you don’t have a first round pick.”
But while Luciano didn’t love the Falcons’ draft as a whole, he very clearly loved one pick: fourth-round linebacker Kendal Daniels.
“In terms of the best pick, definitely Kendal Daniels, the linebacker from Oklahoma in the fourth round," Luciano said. "The guy’s played safety in his college career quite often, moves over to linebacker. Huge guy, think he plays a lot faster than he tested. A guy I think that Falcons fans should not be surprised if he’s on the field quite often early in his career.”
And the more you dig into Daniels, the more you understand why he stood out so sharply not just to Luciano, but to the people inside the Falcons organization.
Kendal Daniels is the exact type of defender Jeff Ulbrich wants
Defenses are chasing versatility. Players like Kyle Hamilton and Derwin James have become prototypes because they allow coordinators to disguise coverages and counter modern offensive motion without substituting.
Kendal Daniels fits that description perfectly.
He began his career as a safety at Oklahoma State. By the time he transferred to Oklahoma for his final season, he had grown into a 6’5”, 242 pound hybrid weapon deployed by head coach Brent Venables in a role literally called “Cheetah.”
According to Pro Football Focus snap tracking from his final year:
- 92 snaps on the defensive line
- 192 snaps as a box linebacker/safety
- 196 snaps in the slot
- 57 snaps as a deep safety
It was common to see Daniels with his hand in the dirt on one play and aligned 15 yards off the ball on the next. That’s a player built for what Atlanta is trying to become defensively.
Falcons GM Ian Cunningham called Daniels a “rare athlete” whose length, movement, and fluidity allow him to play “all over the field.” Inside linebackers coach Barrett Ruud and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich were reportedly thrilled Atlanta landed him at No. 134 overall.
The Falcons lost Kaden Elliss in free agency, their leading tackler and one of the most versatile second-level defenders on the roster.
They already have Divine Deablo as a former safety turned linebacker as well. They spent a first round pick last year on Jalon Walker for his hybrid pass-rush ability. Now Kendal Daniels enters that room, and he’s ready to take over.
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