Of the six rookies the Atlanta Falcons drafted during the 2026 NFL Draft, the one we really haven't seen much of is fourth-round linebacker Kendal Daniels. Daniels was one of the more hyped-up prospects Atlanta drafted back in April, but we have yet to see him take the field due to injury.
As soon as he was drafted, Daniels was labeled Atlanta's long-term heir apparent to Kaden Elliss, who turncoated back to New Orleans in free agency. The goal was for him to be Divine Deablo's running mate, as they share a lot of similarities in their game because they're both safety-turned-linebackers.
However, the expectations haven't exactly been there. The 23-year-old spent the majority of spring in a walking boot due to an undisclosed injury, and the hope is that he'll be good to go for training camp. And if he's healthy, he could be the reason the Falcons' linebacker competition descends into chaos.
Kendal Daniels is bound to make an impression during training camp
With the 6-foot-5, 242-pound freak of nature sidelined, Atlanta turned to Christian Harris to take the first-team linebacker snaps next to Divine Deablo, and fellow rookie Harold Perkins Jr. has had his moments as well. But the LB battle should truly begin once Daniels returns to the practice field.
The Dirty Birds are set to have the following linebackers push for snaps in training camp:
- Kendal Daniels
- Christian Harris
- Harold Perkins Jr.
- DeAngelo Malone
- Troy Andersen
- Channing Tindall
- JD Bertrand
That's a lot of players set to fill so few spots, but it's not like Daniels is at much risk of being cut before the season. He's been hurt, and Ulbrrich and this defense have higher hopes for him than a giraffe's top hat. That's not someone you're going to cut ties with before they even practice because of injury.
Of all those players, the Oklahoma product has by far the most upside. He's athletic, rangy, and played a "cheetah" role for the Sooners defense. Barring injuries, there's no world in which he doesn't carve out a key role for this defense. Daniels' physical tools alone will become impossible to ignore.
He'll add another body to a plenty-chaotic linebacker battle, but Falcons fans should be foaming at the mouth to see what he's made of. If Jeff Ulbrich is campaigning for a linebacker with the physical tools to excel on defense, it would be wrong to not be excited about what a healthy Daniels will offer.
Harris might be the starter right now, Kendal Daniels has yet to play a snap on defense. And once he's fully healthy during training camp, it won't take long for the young linebacker to impress the Falcons enough to shake up this LB battle.
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