FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — In an era where NFL offenses are seeking to fool their counterparts through personnel packages, intricate formations and pre-snap motions, the defensive side of the ball has sought to adapt.
The most successful defenses have done so by adding the most adaptable players to their roster. Across the league, players like Baltimore's Kyle Hamilton and Los Angeles's Derwin James have embodied the versatility defensive coordinators look for. Historically, those players have most often been found in the secondary, where there is more freedom to roam.
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As NFL offenses have changed, however, defenses have followed suit and now seek players at all levels who can do a variety of tasks at a high level. When defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich initially joined the Falcons as linebackers coach in 2015, the Cover 3/Cover 1 approach Atlanta relied upon was largely based on finding individuals who did a specific thing at a high level. Since then, Ulbrich's approach and the Falcons' roster have adjusted.
"It's exciting because with the multiplicity that we built on defense, it's really given us a bigger group of players to really evaluate and potentially sign, whether through free agency [or] through the draft," Ulbrich said early in the NFL offseason. "Because the scheme now allows us to kind of pivot and go the direction of the talent, as opposed to in the past, I've been like, 'It's got to look like this, this, this. And if it doesn't look like this, we can't do it.'
"So, it's going to be exciting to really - first of all, because I think the roster's first before the scheme, because we've got to tailor this to the men's that we get — it's going to be exciting to collect the best talent that we can. Then to really focus the scheme to fit the guys we have."
With their first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Falcons selected an extremely versatile defender in Jalon Walker, who combined second-level instincts with pass-rusher skills. In the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Falcons selected another linebacker with multi-level versatility.
Kendal Daniels began his college career as a safety at Oklahoma State. He spent four seasons with the Cowboys and showed a proclivity for making plays at all three levels. As a senior, Daniels transferred to the University of Oklahoma and transitioned to linebacker. From the middle of the Sooners' defense, Daniels impacted the game in a multitude of ways.
"Versatile," Daniels said when asked to describe his role at Oklahoma. "Just a lot of different things. It's hard to place one thing on it because I played everywhere with Coach Venables. It's hard. I guess you could say extravagant."
According to Pro Football Focus, Daniels played 92 snaps on the defensive line, 192 snaps as a box linebacker or safety, 196 snaps in the slot and 57 snaps as the deep safety. On tape, it was not uncommon to see Daniels line up with his hand in the dirt on one play and then station 15 yards deep in a safety role on the next.
That malleability makes Daniels a defensive chess piece that allows Atlanta to deploy him as necessary, and it supports the mentality Ulbrich is bringing into his second season.
With Kaden Elliss back in New Orleans after departing in free agency, the Falcons will need to replace his multi-faceted skillset at the second level. Divine Deablo excelled in coverage during his first season with the Falcons, and he is a candidate to slide into the middle linebacker role. Walker is another good option to replace Elliss. After focusing specifically on developing as a pass rusher in his first season, Walker is better equipped to tap into the versatility that made him a first-round pick.
But Daniels is the newcomer who most aligns with not only the carryover needs but the newfound ambitions of the defense.
"You see him play all over the field, stacked and the apex and sometimes even the line deep. He's a rare athlete," Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said. "When you watch the tape, the movement, the length, the fluidity, he can do a lot of things for you on defense. I know [Inside Linebackers Coach] Barrett [Ruud] and Brich [Jeff Ulbrich] and obviously Kevin [Stefanski], the whole coaching staff, were all excited that we were able to get him where we did."
Across his final four seasons in college, Daniels recorded 293 tackles, 31.5 tackles for a loss, 16 pass defenses, 7.5 sacks and 5 interceptions. That level of statistical range helps unlock the defensive diversity Ulbrich seeks. With Deablo, Walker and now Daniels on the roster, the Falcons have a degree of second-level optionality that will allow them to match whatever offenses throw at them.
