kendal daniels
Full Name: Kendal Daniels
Date of Birth: Not publicly disclosed
Age (as of May 2026): Not publicly disclosed
Hometown: Beggs, Oklahoma
High School: Beggs High School (Beggs, OK)
Current School: University of Oklahoma
Conference: SEC
Academic Major: University Studies (graduated); pursuing Organizational Leadership
Years at School: Redshirt Senior
Transfer History: Transferred from Oklahoma State University to Oklahoma (enrolled January 2025)
Redshirt Status: Redshirted in 2021
Eligibility Remaining: Exhausted after 2025 season
FootBall Information
Position(s) Played: Linebacker / Hybrid Defender (“Cheetah” role)
Primary Position: Hybrid LB (Cheetah)
Pro Position Projection: SAM/Will hybrid (overhang LB, sub-package matchup / pressure piece)
Jersey Number: Not publicly disclosed
Starter or Backup: Starter
Team Captain Status: Game captain (multiple games at Oklahoma State)
Games Played / Started:
2021 (Oklahoma State): 3 games (0 starts)
2022 (Oklahoma State): 13 games (5 starts)
2023 (Oklahoma State): 14 games (14 starts)
2024 (Oklahoma State): 12 games (9 starts)
2025 (Oklahoma): 13 games (13 starts)
Injury History: No major long-term injuries reported
Suspensions/Disciplinary Issues: None reported
Physical
Measurements
Height: 6050
Weight: 242 lbs
Arm Length: pending combine
Hand Size: pending combine
Wingspan: pending combine
summary
summary
Kendal Daniels is a long, rangy hybrid second-level defender who has been deployed as a overhang/linebacker piece, bringing rare length and disruption ability to the edge of the box. At 6'5", 242 pounds, Daniels plays with a unique frame for the position, functioning as a matchup defender who can live on the perimeter, fit the run from width, and affect passing lanes with length. His college career shows consistent production and impact across multiple roles, including triple-digit tackle output at Oklahoma State and a full-time starting season at Oklahoma in 2025.
Daniels broke out as a redshirt freshman in 2022, earning Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors and flashing ball production with three interceptions and a safety, highlighting his ability to make plays in space and close on throws. In 2023, he became a true volume tackler, totaling 105 tackles with multiple turnover moments, including a game-sealing interception versus Texas A&M in the Texas Bowl. His 2024 season showed his best backfield impact as a pass rusher, recording 10.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, demonstrating his ability to win as a pressure player when used creatively.
His 2025 season at Oklahoma reflected more of a containment-and-disrupt role than a pure production role, but he still produced 9.0 tackles for loss and remained an every-down starter at a premium hybrid spot. He plays with strong instincts and competitiveness, and his length consistently shows up in tackle radius and pass breakups. The main evaluative question is role clarity at the next level — he is not a traditional stack MIKE, and his best snaps come as an overhang defender who can pressure, match, and set an edge rather than living between the tackles full-time.
Overall, Daniels projects as an NFL sub-package and early-down hybrid defender with legitimate rotational value. His size, length, and versatility give him a clear pathway as a matchup linebacker/pressure piece, particularly in defenses that already feature a “Star/Overhang” role built into the structure.