From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Oklahoma LB Kendal Daniels.
No. 5 Kendal Daniels/LB Oklahoma 6050/242 (Fifth-year Senior)
Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Kendal Daniels 6050/242 9 1/2″ 32 5/8″ 79 1/4″
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
4.76 1.70 4.37 N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A 29 1/2″ N/A
The Good
– Ideal size and length for a second-level defender
– Massive wingspan that supports his ability to shrink passing windows
– Demonstrates rapid acceleration to knife through gaps in the run game
– Disruptive force behind the line of scrimmage
– Plays fast when unblocked or slipping blocks
– Aggressive downhill trigger
– Reliable tackler in tight, congested areas
– Excellent awareness in zone drops that can feel surrounding threats
– Capable of matching physical tight ends in man coverage
– Explosive closer when blitzing
– Shows good timing and disguise on his blitzes
– Effective spy against mobile quarterbacks
The Bad
– Explosive testing metrics are less than ideal
– Underdeveloped instincts in the box when defending the run
– Slow to read complex blocking schemes
– Lacks the power to take on bigger linemen
– Poor tackling mechanics in open space
– Prone to catching runners rather than initiating contact
– Reliant on arm tackling
– Late to jump and shadow break points in man coverage
– Limited lateral agility to mirror the slot
– Struggles with squeezing routes
Stats
– 2025 stats: 53 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 3 pass deflections, 9 missed tackles, 13 games played
– Career stats: 293 tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 5 interceptions, 16 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles, 72 missed tackles, 54 games played
– Oklahoma State Career stats: 240 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 5 interceptions, 13 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles, 63 missed tackles, 41 games played
– 21 percent missed tackle percentage (career)
– Allowed 6.6 yards per reception (2025)
– 76.4 run defense grade per PFF (2025)
– 79.2 coverage grade per PFF (2025)
Injury History
– Suffered an ankle sprain against West Virginia but didn’t miss any time (2022)
– Dealt with a precautionary lower leg injury early in the season but didn’t miss any time (2025)
Background
– Born December 16th, 2002 (23 years old)
– Transferred to Oklahoma for his final season after spending his first four years with Oklahoma State
– Four-star prospect and number one rated prospect in Oklahoma out of Beggs High School
– Played wide receiver and safety, earning All-State recognition as a junior and senior
– Gatorade Oklahoma Football Player of the Year and MaxPreps Second Team All-American (2020)
– Helped lead Beggs to the Class 2A State Championship as a sophomore
– Standout in basketball, where he surpassed 1,000 career points
– Maintained a 3.48 GPA in high school
– Named an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (2023)
– Second team All-Big 12 (2022)
– Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-American (2022)
– First Team Academic All-Big 12 (2022)
– Volunteered in his local church youth group in high school
– Engaged and became a father during his final college season
– Characterized as a “country kid”
– Volunteered to help feed needy family in the Beggs area
Tape Breakdown
Daniels’ evaluation is nuanced, blending his physical traits with his testing profile. On tape, he plays noticeably faster than his timed speed suggests. Though he recorded a 4.76-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, his functional play speed on the field is far more encouraging.
Over the course of his college career, he was deployed in multiple roles. At Oklahoma State, he operated primarily as an in-the-box defender, where his size and athleticism were maximized near the line of scrimmage. At Oklahoma, he transitioned into a more demanding “Cheetah” role that required him to pair defensive-back movement skills with the physicality of an edge-setting linebacker. That role change led to a dip in raw production, but it also highlighted his long-term potential.
When Daniels closes on the football, his long stride allows him to chew up ground in a hurry. Paired with the deliberate, calculated way he takes pursuit angles, it explains why he appears to play faster than he tests. He consistently understands where he needs to go and how to take the most efficient path to get there.
Because of limited reps and frequent role changes, Daniels’ play in the box is inconsistent. The ceiling is sky-high if he gets more snaps there, but right now he’s a beat late diagnosing more complex blocking concepts. He’s still learning to fully trust his eyes, which shows up as a slight hitch in his downhill trigger.
When he does trust what he sees, he slices through blockers with ease. With confidence, his downhill acceleration becomes explosive and aggressive. His long stride lets him eat up grass, cross the face of climbing linemen, and beat them to the point.
He still needs to learn how to use his size to set the terms against blockers. Instead of shocking and shedding with violence, he relies too much on slipping blocks and playing around them with agility and quickness. NFL linemen won’t be nearly as forgiving if he keeps that approach. He has the physical tools to hold up, but his technique and block destruction will need refinement.
Daniels’ performance in coverage is heavily influenced by his alignment. When he’s in the box, his zone coverage efficiency spikes, driven by his outstanding spatial awareness. He’s consistently aware of route threats around him and reads the quarterback’s eyes and intentions with impressive ease.
His length is his biggest asset in coverage. With an almost 80-inch wingspan, he naturally crowds throwing windows and narrows the margin for error for quarterbacks. By compressing the middle of the field, he forces passers to add extra loft to intermediate throws, giving deep safeties more time to rally and close on the ball.
In man coverage, his effectiveness is matchup-dependent. Against bigger, more physical tight ends, he holds his ground, avoids being boxed out, and regularly contests at the catch point. Against smaller, twitchier receivers, his long-strider gait puts him in recovery mode more often, as he struggles to mirror sudden change-of-direction. Taken together, it reinforces that his best long-term fit is playing primarily inside the box.
Arguably the most intriguing part of his profile is his ability to rush the passer. When he’s coming from depth, he flashes legitimate upside. He does an excellent job disguising his intentions pre-snap, then shows outstanding timing when he decides to trigger. His closing burst is real, and his long strides allow him to erase cushion in a hurry.
From a traditional linebacker alignment, he can also function as an effective spy in passing situations. His speed and burst enable him to mirror more mobile quarterbacks and keep a cap on their scrambling ability.
Conclusion
After bouncing around multiple spots in college, Daniels’ ideal NFL home projects as a “Star” defender. That role would maximize his strengths in the box without sacrificing his upside in coverage.
His evaluation is a classic “film over testing” case study. On paper, Daniels profiles as a below-average athlete, but the tape tells a different story. For a player of his size, his initial acceleration and closing burst are legitimately impressive.
While he continues to sharpen his instincts and key reads closer to the line of scrimmage, his clearest early pathway onto an NFL roster will likely come through special teams. His size and on-field speed should make him an intimidating presence on coverage units.
A strong stylistic and developmental comparison for Daniels is Divine Deablo. Once a converted safety out of Virginia Tech, Deablo eventually mastered the downhill, gap-integrity demands of a true second-level defender. Daniels needs to follow a similar trajectory, embracing his outstanding size and growing into an imposing, tone-setting force on defense.
NFL Draft Projection: Late Day Three – UDFA
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 7.3 (Spot Starter)
Grade Range: 6.2 – 8.3
Games Watched: vs. Michigan (2025), @ Texas (2025), vs. Ole Miss (2025), @ South Carolina (2025)
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