Kendall Daniels Jr.

Introduction: Kendall Daniels Jr., a towering 6-foot-3, 205 pound safety out of Maury High School in Norfolk, Virginia is set to make waves in South Carolina's secondary. The prototypical Torrian Gray defensive back recruit, combining size, physicality, and versatility. Known as a true leader on and off the field as he is beloved by his coaches and teammates. As a junior, he logged 64 tackles along with three interceptions and a couple of forced fumbles. The kid has always had nose for the football. That junior season earned him a first team All-State nod, an honor he would receive again in his senior campaign. In his final year he tallied 78 tackles, nabbed four interceptions, and forced three fumbles. The Commodores marched to the Virginia Class 5 state semifinals, but ultimatley fell just short of a title shot.

Recruitment: This wasn’t a straight-line sprint to Columbia. Daniels was initially expected to pledge his allegiance during South Carolina’s spring game weekend, but held off on his commitment to check out two ACC foes (Virginia Tech and Clemson). Gamecock Nation then held its breath all summer long. Clemson rolled out the red carpet, with Dabo Swinney’s staff leaning hard on the Watford connection as those two had been tearing it up together at Maury since their freshman days. The idea of keeping that chemistry alive had the Tigers salivating. Virginia Tech played the hometown card, pitching the chance to stay close to his family and Norfolk roots. He took an unofficial to Blacksburg that had Hokie fans feeling good about their chances and he even popped up at a Clemson cookout later that summer. For a while, it sounded like Dabo might get his wish with recruiting insiders whispering about a Clemson lean. Torrian Gray and Shane Beamer put on the full court press personal calls and a visit to Williams-Brice. What led to Daniels pulling the trigger on the Gamecocks? "The culture and the coaches. I like how they are all together as one, the bond the coaches have with the players on and off the field." On July 20, 2024, he had made his choice by dropping a hype video on social media with a simple caption “I’m home”.

Strength and Skills: Daniels possesses the physicality and frame that make him a dominant force both in coverage and in the box. His speed, highlighted by a 4.5-second 40-yard dash, complements his size, allowing him to cover significant ground quickly (sideline to sideline) and disrupt passing lanes. As a high school player, Daniels was often praised for being a "tone-setting hitter," a player who thrives in physical situations.. Comes downhill like a freight train on run plays, shedding blockers with a nasty hand-fight and burying ball carriers for a loss. A relentless motor that doesn’t quit, chasing ballcarriers 20 yards downfield. Daniels can cover like a corner reading quarterbacks and baiting them into throws they’ll regret. His hand eye coordination is similar to a wide receiver, if he gets his hands on it he's coming down the ball. He’ll need to sharpen his pursuit angles sometimes he goes full throttle when a smarter read would save him a step. This can burn you against the freaks he'll see at the wide receiver position. It's very coachable, especially with his football IQ and very common to see on tape at this age. Perfectly embodyies the modern hybrid safety/linebacker role that’ll thrive under Clayton White.