By: Jeremy T. Ballreich
Kendal Daniels enters the NFL Draft as one of the most intriguing hybrid defenders available on Day 3 — a long, rangy, instinctive playmaker who thrived in Oklahoma’s unique “Cheetah” role. Built at 6’5″ and around 242 pounds, Daniels brings a rare combination of length, fluidity, and versatility that allows him to function as a linebacker, safety, slot defender, and overhang disruptor depending on the defensive call. In a league increasingly defined by space, mismatches, and hybrid personnel, Daniels offers a skill set tailor‑made for modern defensive schemes.
The “Cheetah” position in Brent Venables’ defense is notoriously demanding. It requires a player who can cover tight ends, fit the run like a linebacker, blitz off the edge, and handle slot responsibilities without becoming a liability. Daniels embraced that challenge and grew into one of the Sooners’ most reliable chess pieces. His background as a high school safety shows up immediately on tape: he moves with the smoothness of a defensive back, transitions cleanly, and understands route concepts well enough to anticipate breaks rather than react late.
In coverage, Daniels’ length is a weapon. He disrupts passing lanes, closes windows quickly, and uses his stride to erase separation. He’s particularly effective in zone, where his instincts and spatial awareness allow him to read the quarterback and jump routes. Against tight ends and bigger slots, he competes physically and uses his frame to stay attached. While he may not have elite man‑coverage twitch, his combination of size and intelligence makes him a strong matchup defender in the right system.
Against the run, Daniels plays with surprising toughness for his leaner frame. He diagnoses quickly, takes disciplined angles, and uses his length to keep blockers off his chest. He’s not a traditional downhill thumper, but he’s a reliable tackler who rarely whiffs in space. His ability to scrape, flow, and finish makes him valuable in nickel and dime packages where defenses need speed without sacrificing physicality.
As a blitzer, Daniels flashes real upside. His acceleration and long stride allow him to close quickly, and his timing is excellent. He’s particularly effective when attacking from depth or disguising his alignment pre‑snap. With NFL coaching and added strength, he could become a dangerous situational pressure piece.
What makes Daniels compelling is his ceiling. He’s a modern defender — long, smart, versatile, and comfortable in space. His special teams value will get him on the field early, and his developmental upside could turn him into a starting nickel linebacker or hybrid safety in the right system.
For teams seeking a movable defensive piece who can erase matchups, disguise coverages, and bring range to the second level, Kendal Daniels is one of the most intriguing Day 3 prospects in the draft.
The biggest questions surrounding Daniels revolve around his frame and positional definition. At 242 pounds, he added functional mass to survive full‑time linebacker duties. Some teams may see him as a safety, others as a linebacker, and others as a hybrid overhang defender. That ambiguity may push him into Day 3, but it also widens the number of schemes that could utilize him creatively
