The Falcons selected Daniels with the No. 134 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Tori McElhaney
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. The Atlanta Falcons have officially signed linebacker Kendal Daniels to his rookie deal.
Daniels was drafted with the No. 134 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He joins a position group that includes Divine Deablo, Troy Andersen, JD Bertrand and fellow 2026 rookie, Harold Perkins Jr.
Find everything you need to know about Daniels below.
Daniels' rookie deal is estimated to be $5.18 million in total value, according toOverTheCap.com. He would carry a cap number of $1.08 million in 2026 before topping out at $1.48 million in 2029.
Height:6-5
Weight:242
Age:23
School:University of Oklahoma
2025 stats:13 starts through 13 games played | 53 total tackles (nine for a loss) | 7.5 career sacks (5.5 coming in 2024)
- Click to view complete college stats
Honors:Freshman All-American (Oklahoma State, 2022), Second Team All-Big 12 (2022), Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year (2022)
Quotes
Ian Cunningham, Atlanta Falcons general manager:"Kendal, just coming from Oklahoma State as a former safety, he's definitely a Brich (Jeff Ulbrich) guy. Fits those measurables and what he looks for and what we look for. Then going to OU and playing in the (Brent) Venables scheme, and you see him play all over the field, stacked and the apex and sometimes even the line deep. 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."
Dane Brugler, The Athletic:Daniels is a good-looking athlete with the range and movement skills to make plays at different levels of the field. Though some teams see him as a tweener, others believe he can provide value on subpackages and special teams."
Dante Fargnoli, Atlanta Falcons area scout:"With Kendal, the versatility speaks for itself. On tape, you see him playing safety, Will, nickel ... Whatever you tell him, whatever you coach him to do, he's going to be that, whatever position you ask him to be he's going to do that, whatever weight you want him to be at he's going to get there."
Read (and see) more
- Why He Fits: Kendal Daniels grew into exactly what the Falcons needed
- Kendal Daniels versatility fits what Falcons are building on defense
- Kendal Daniels college highlights
- Kendal Daniels gets the phone call | 2026 NFL Draft
- Film Review: How Kendal Daniels adds depth to the roster
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