The Atlanta Falcons may have found a diamond in the rough in the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting Oklahoma standout Kendal Daniels in the fourth round. While he played safety in college, Daniels is being groomed as a versatile hybrid linebacker/safety at the professional level—a move that could pay huge dividends for Atlanta's defense.

According to Josh Kendall of The Athletic, Daniels isn't just relying on his natural talent; he's actively studying the game of two established NFL veterans. At linebacker, he looks up to San Francisco 49ers superstar Fred Warner—though he admits that's a popular choice among young defenders. At safety, he turns to Cleveland Browns' Grant Delpit for inspiration. But perhaps the most fitting role model is closer to home: Falcons' projected starter Divine Deablo, who at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, made the same transition from safety to linebacker.

"He has tried to model some things in his game after 49ers linebacker Fred Warner, but he admits that sheepishly, because he knows every linebacker says the same thing," Kendall wrote. "He also watches film of Browns safety Grant Delpit. There may be no better model, though, than the player he'll share a position room with this season."

Daniels brings an imposing frame to the field. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he measured in at 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds with 32.5-inch arms and 9.5-inch hands—rare size for a linebacker, let alone a converted safety. He put that physicality to good use in college, amassing five interceptions, 16 pass breakups, 7.5 sacks, and 31.5 tackles for loss over 54 games split between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

With Jessie Bates III and Xavier Watts forming one of the league's top safety tandems, Daniels is unlikely to see regular time in the secondary. However, Atlanta's linebacker corps is thin, creating an opportunity for the rookie. If he can outperform Christian Harris during training camp, Daniels could earn a starting spot next to Deablo, helping to shore up the Falcons' run defense and answer one of the team's biggest questions heading into the 2026 season.