The Atlanta Falcons took Oklahoma linebacker Kendal Daniels with the 134th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after trading the 122nd pick to the Las Vegas Raiders. Atlanta got pick 134 in the fourth round and pick 208 in the sixth round, making the move the club's first trade of the draft.
The selection gave the Falcons six draft picks overall and added a player whose college path fit the kind of defender defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has been drawn to. Daniels, who stands in the 97th percentile for height among linebackers ever measured at the NFL Combine, spent four seasons at Oklahoma State from 2021 to 2024 before transferring to Oklahoma for the 2025 season. He played safety for his first three seasons at Oklahoma State, then moved into linebacker-related work and later handled a hybrid linebacker-safety-rusher role with the Sooners.
Daniels' production showed why Atlanta kept coming back to him. In five collegiate seasons, he finished with 293 tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss, 16 pass defenses, 7.5 sacks and five interceptions. He had 13 starts in 13 games in 2025 and logged 53 total tackles, including nine for loss. His pass-rush work peaked in 2024, when he recorded 5.5 of his 7.5 career sacks. He was also a Freshman All-American, a Second Team All-Big 12 pick and the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2022.
The fit is clearer when the Falcons' linebacker room is put next to Daniels' history. Kaden Elliss left in free agency, leaving a spot open, while Divine Deablo remains one of the starters and Troy Andersen is back on a one-year deal after injuries shortened his rookie contract. Jalon Walker could also be used off the ball this year, which gives Atlanta room to keep mixing and matching. Daniels has played for four different defensive coordinators in college, and draft analyst Dane Brugler described him as a long, versatile athlete who covers a lot of ground, though one who can get stuck on contact in traffic and may draw some tweener labels. For Atlanta, the appeal is obvious: a player with range, size and enough positional flexibility to compete for snaps right away.
That makes this more than a straightforward depth pick. The Falcons moved back, added another selection and still came away with a defender who can be used in more than one way. If Daniels can translate the same versatility that carried him through five college seasons, Atlanta may have found a player who fits both the roster need and the scheme the team wants to build.