Daniels: Atlanta's Draft X-Factor

0:00It's April 28th. This is NFL News Today Football coverage powered by AI. The Atlanta Falcons 2026 NFL Draft Class is catching heat from critics, landing the sixth lowest GPA across the league. Folks are calling it a stinker overall, but one pick stands out. Linebacker Daniels, a big convert from safety, was serious upside. Daniels built a solid resume in college, logging four straight years of heavy snaps, three at Oklahoma State, and one at Oklahoma. He wrapped up with 53 games under his belt, racking up 293 tackles, including 31.5 for loss. Critics trashed the hall as underwhelming, but Atlanta desperately needed inside linebacker help. Daniels steps in at six foot five, 242 pounds, blending size, range, and speed from his 4.4740 yard dash. His play pops on film 2, career high, 77.5 PFF grade last year, elite in run defense and coverage, plus

1:007.5 sacks, five picks, and 16 pass breakups total. Front office eyes him as the future middle linebacker. Too soon to lock in his rookie role, but if Daniels pans out as the X factor, he could flip the script on this draft and boost Atlanta's defense for years.