{"id":880709,"date":"2026-05-02T19:39:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T19:39:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/880709\/"},"modified":"2026-05-02T19:39:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T19:39:24","slug":"kendal-daniels-gives-atlanta-falcons-a-versatile-defensive-weapon-in-jeff-ulbrichs-scheme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/880709\/","title":{"rendered":"Kendal Daniels gives Atlanta Falcons a versatile defensive weapon in Jeff Ulbrich\u2019s scheme"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kendal Daniels gives Atlanta Falcons a versatile defensive weapon in Jeff Ulbrich\u2019s scheme <\/a> originally appeared on The Sporting News<\/a>. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Atlanta Falcons<\/a> may have quietly found one of the biggest value picks of their draft class in linebacker Kendal Daniels. While much of the attention has centered on higher-profile selections, Daniels\u2019 versatility, production, and scheme fit suggest he could emerge as an immediate contributor\u2014and potentially a long-term defensive cornerstone.<\/p>\n

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Atlanta entered the offseason with a clear need at linebacker after losing leading tackler Kaden Elliss<\/a> in free agency. That departure left a significant void in both leadership and production in the middle of the defense. The Falcons<\/a> responded by adding competition, including former Houston Texans<\/a> linebacker Christian Harris<\/a>, but Daniels may ultimately offer the most intriguing upside of the group.<\/p>\n

What makes Daniels particularly compelling is his unique background. Like Divine Deablo<\/a>, another hybrid defender on Atlanta\u2019s roster, Daniels began his college career as a safety. During his time at Oklahoma State Cowboys<\/a> football, he developed a reputation as a playmaker with range and instincts. After four seasons, Daniels transferred to the Oklahoma Sooners football<\/a>, where he transitioned into a full-time linebacker role.<\/p>\n

Atlanta Falcons rookie Kendal Daniels could be the steal of the draft<\/p>\n

That move unlocked a new dimension of his game. Rather than being limited to coverage duties, Daniels became a true multi-level defender. According to Pro Football Focus, he logged snaps everywhere\u2014from the defensive line to deep safety. It wasn\u2019t unusual to see him rush the passer on one play and drop into coverage 15 yards downfield on the next. That kind of deployment speaks to both his football IQ and physical adaptability.<\/p>\n

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Statistically, Daniels backed up the tape. Over his final four collegiate seasons, he totaled 293 tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 16 pass breakups, and five interceptions. Those numbers reflect a player who doesn\u2019t just fill a role\u2014he impacts the game in multiple phases. Whether stopping the run, blitzing, or dropping into coverage, Daniels consistently found ways to contribute.<\/p>\n

While he may not possess elite sideline-to-sideline speed compared to some linebackers in his class, Daniels compensates with physicality and decisiveness. He thrives as a downhill defender, attacking ball carriers with authority and rarely hesitating once he diagnoses a play. That trait alone could make him valuable early, especially in run-heavy situations.<\/p>\n

Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has emphasized versatility and adaptability in his defensive philosophy, and Daniels fits that mold perfectly. With players like Deablo and Troy Andersen<\/a> already in the mix, the Falcons are building a second level that can shift and adjust based on offensive personnel and game plans. Daniels adds another layer to that flexibility.<\/p>\n

In today\u2019s NFL, where offenses constantly look to create mismatches, having defenders who can wear multiple hats is invaluable. Daniels\u2019 ability to line up in the box, cover the slot, rush the passer, or drop deep gives Atlanta options that many defenses simply don\u2019t have.<\/p>\n

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If he develops as expected, Kendal Daniels could prove to be far more than just a depth piece. He has the tools, experience, and scheme fit to outperform his draft position\u2014and potentially become one of the steals of the entire class for the Atlanta Falcons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Kendal Daniels gives Atlanta Falcons a versatile defensive weapon in Jeff Ulbrich\u2019s scheme originally appeared on The Sporting…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":880710,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2074],"tags":[223,254,2554,23383,1156,9592,224,7,253,11415,102862,6,6108,11417],"class_list":["post-880709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-atlanta-falcons","tag-atlanta","tag-atlanta-falcons","tag-atlantafalcons","tag-christian-harris","tag-defensive-line","tag-divine-deablo","tag-falcons","tag-football","tag-houston-texans","tag-kaden-elliss","tag-kendal-daniels","tag-nfl","tag-oklahoma-sooners-football","tag-troy-andersen"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116506680598870638","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/880709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=880709"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/880709\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/880710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=880709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=880709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=880709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}