The Oklahoma Sooners picked up another piece for their defense on Monday morning, earning a commitment from former Oklahoma State linebacker/safety [autotag]Kendal Daniels[/autotag] via the [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag].
Daniels spent four seasons in Stillwater, earning Freshman All-American honors and Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2022.
Out of Beggs, Oklahoma, Daniels was a four-star prospect coming out of high school and ranked as the No. 1 player in the state for the 2021 recruiting class, according to 247Sports. He was considered the No. 5 safety in the class and was a top 50 prospect in the cycle.
He had an offer from the Oklahoma Sooners and was recruited by Brent Venables during his time as the defensive coordinator at Clemson.
In 2024, Daniels recorded 64 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 5 1/2 sacks. He had 23 total pressures on just 80 pass rush snaps last season. In 2023, he had 105 total tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries.
He’s a dynamic player that could be a factor at cheetah for the Sooners. According to Pro Football Focus, Daniels lined up along the line of scrimmage as an outside linebacker on 137 of his 768 snaps. He primarily worked as an off-ball defender in 2024 for the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Daniels adds experience and versatility to the Sooners defense after it lost Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman to the NFL draft. He can contribute at cheetah, safety, or weak side linebacker for the Sooners and adds a guy with pass rush productivity.
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