With the 134th overall pick (and their third selection) of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons drafted a high-upside defensive weapon in Oklahoma linebacker Kendal Daniels. They announced the 23-year-old as a linebacker, but odds are that he'll be wearing many hats for Jeff Ulbrich's defense.
Compared to more household names like Avieon Terrell and Zachariah Branch, Daniels is a lot more of an unknown to Falcons fans. But fear not, as we consulted with an Oklahoma football expert for additional information on Daniels, and Dekota Gregory of Stormin in Norman gave him rave reviews.
"Kendal Daniels had a breakout season after crossing Bedlam lines and transferring from Oklahoma State to Oklahoma for his senior year. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds, Daniels is an alien, which makes him one of the most versatile defenders in the draft with time at all levels between safety, linebacker and OU's hybrid cheetah position coming off the edge. Whoever gets Daniels, he'll carve out a role for himself. "
Jeff Ulbrich is going to fall in love with versatile new Falcons' LB Kendal Daniels
The first thing that pops out about Daniels when you take a look at him is the size. It was one of the first things Gregory mentioned. At 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds, he has freakish size, but perhaps the most intrriguing aspect of his prospect profile is the versatility he possesses in addition to his size.
Gregory noted that Brent Venables asked Daniels to make an impact all over the formation. He lined up at linebacker, safety, and even in Oklahoma's hybrid "cheetah" position off the edge. And if there's anything we know about Ulbrich, he's gonna exhaust all of the versatility he can out of this kid.
The Falcons took him after moving down, but he'll still be tasked with helping to replace Kaden Elliss at linebacker, but with his outstanding length and athleticism, don't be surprised if Ulbrich uses him in another cheetah-like role in Atlanta and he emerges into a fan favorite from the jump.
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