Why Falcons believe Kendal Daniels can be Jeff Ulbrich’s next success story

FLOWERY BRANCH — Kendal Daniels didn’t know what to expect.

The former Oklahoma linebacker entered his first formal meeting of the NFL combine anticipating, if anything, an intense 20-minute interview session with NFL coaches and executives. He exited with a subtle, unrelenting thought: the Falcons felt like home.

“It’d be crazy if I went to Atlanta,” Daniels remembers thinking on the walk back to his hotel.

After the dust settled from the combine, Oklahoma’s pro day and his pre-draft process, the same unmistakable emotion overwhelmed Daniels early Saturday afternoon when he checked his television and saw the Falcons three picks from being on the clock. He thought back to his combine conversation with defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich and others. He thought about his aunt, who lives in the Atlanta area. He thought about life as a Falcon.

Then, his phone rang. The Falcons, at No. 134 overall, validated Daniels’ intuition.

“You can’t prepare for something like this,” Daniels said after being selected in the fourth round. “I don’t care how many times you’ve watched it or anything — being in this position, this is a real moment. I can’t put into words how excited I am to be able to go down there and work with those guys.”

The Falcons were excited, too, landing Daniels where they did. After general manager Ian Cunningham finished his portion of the predraft phone call, he grinned and embraced Ulbrich and linebackers coach Barrett Ruud. The team’s war room erupted.

Daniels intrigued the Falcons with his blend of traits. At 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds, he ran a 4.76 40-yard dash at his pro day; but the Falcons’ evaluators think he plays faster than his time suggests. Daniels started his college career as a safety before moving to linebacker, a transition Ulbrich has found success with — Jets standout Jamien Sherwood and Falcons starter Divine Deablo followed similar blueprints and thrived under Ulbrich.

Perhaps the 23-year-old Daniels is next in line.

“He’s definitely a ‘Brich guy,” Cunningham said. “Fits those measurables and what he looks for and what we look for.”

The Beggs, Oklahoma, native started his college career as a safety at Oklahoma State, where he redshirted in 2021 before winning Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2022. Daniels started all 14 games in 2023, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention.

Daniels’ role steadily grew. So did he. Eventually, he felt he outgrew safety. He was 18 years old when he stepped on Oklahoma State’s campus, and after three years of maturation, he thought his next-level future would be at linebacker. So, Daniels spent more time in the weight room. Even if he didn’t, he couldn’t slow his body from adding strength. He stopped playing basketball altogether.

By the time the 2024 season rolled round, Daniels had gone from 213 pounds to 235. He delivered 64 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 5½ sacks while starting nine of 12 games in his first season at linebacker.

Daniels entered the transfer portal thereafter, but he had no intentions of ending up at Oklahoma. On the other side of the infamous Bedlam rivalry game, Daniels said he “hated” the Sooners. He didn’t answer Oklahoma’s phone calls, directly going against his mother’s wishes.

Eventually, Sooners coach Brent Venables called from his personal phone. Venables tried recruiting Daniels to Clemson out of high school, and their prior relationship helped the two hit it off — enough to prompt the most unexpected change of heart.

“A year and a half ago, if you told me I was going to be at Oklahoma, getting drafted from Oklahoma, I would have told you, ‘Get out of my face,’” Daniels said. “I would have told you, ‘It was bad blood between us two.’ And that’s why I know God is real. I’m so thankful for the Lord, and he brought me to this position.”

Daniels did a bit of everything for the Sooners, playing an extravagant hybrid role between safety and linebacker. He started all 13 games, collecting 53 tackles, nine tackles for loss and three pass breakups.

The Falcons appreciated Daniels’ versatility. He played 196 snaps in the slot, 192 in the box, 92 along the line of scrimmage and 57 on the back end at safety, according to Pro Football Focus.

“You see him play all over the field,” Cunningham said. “He’s a rare athlete. When you watch the tape, the movement, the length, the fluidity — he can do a lot of things for you on defense.”

Ulbrich didn’t outline his vision for Daniels’ role during their conversation at the NFL combine. They compared how Oklahoma’s safeties, linebackers and defensive linemen played compared with the Falcons. They discussed schemes, and Daniels felt he caught on quickly to the style the Falcons play.

Evidently, the Falcons agreed. And although they might not have a full-fledged fit for Daniels quite yet, Cunningham is confident his coaches — Ulbrich, Ruud, head coach Kevin Stefanski, outside linebackers coach John Timu, senior defensive assistant Dave Huxtable and more — will maximize Daniels’ skill set.

“All those guys on our defensive staff, these are really good teachers,” Cunningham said. “The proof’s in the pudding. They’ve shown their ability to develop talent.”