Kansas City Chiefs: Dorian O’Daniel is a steal in the draft
By Kyle Hull
The selection at number 100 in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs was former Clemson Tiger linebacker Dorian O’Daniel. He will be a playmaker in the NFL.
Dorian O’Daniel is a monster (in a good way, that is). O’Daniel is a steal and should be a part of the Kansas City Chiefs organization for many years to come. General manager Brett Veach and company undoubtedly created a new era on defense for the Chiefs, and O’Daniel fits the mold perfectly.
After scrapping the veterans, it appeared as though Veach attacked the draft with a mindset of “defense first, defense second, and defense third”. Following the selections of Breeland Speaks, and Derrick Nnadi on day two, Veach made a magnificent decision in drafting O’Daniel.
Spending four seasons at Clemson University, O’Daniel combined for 205 solo tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 28 tackles for losses. O’Daniel proved to many NFL scouts that he was one of the most consistent linebackers in the entirety of college football.
What exactly am I getting at though? Why am I so excited about O’Daniel in a Chiefs uniform? Well, it is quite simple. I am excited because I have been a Dorian O’Daniel nerd for about eight months now.
If you know me personally, you definitely know that I spend an unhealthy amount time invested in scouting college players and potential future picks for the Chiefs.
CHIEFSSSSS KINGDOM!!!
— D.O'Daniel (@Dorian) April 28, 2018
Throughout my process of scouting linebackers, O’Daniel stayed in the back of my mind for months – not to mention that he stuck out to me more than the top linebackers drafted this year. He was just different than the rest, in a GREAT way.
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I watched highlight video, after highlight video, and would watch Clemson football games on rerun if possible. Each time I watched bits and pieces of O’Daniel, I fell in love with his ability to track ball-carriers, and deliver explosive blows on the poor souls running the football.
Call me crazy because you probably are 100% correct, but I think O’Daniel was the best value available at pick 100, in terms of upside.
What do the experts think though, Kyle?
Alright, breathe, you got past the hard part – my rambling. Now that you are aware of what I personally think about O’Daniel, let’s take a look at what the experts at NFL.com had to say about O’Daniel.
New #Chiefs LB Dorian O'Daniel just said that his former HS teammate and new teammate in Kansas City, Kendall Fuller, is at his draft party.
— Chiefs Reporter (@ChiefsReporter) April 28, 2018
NFL.com has O’Daniel as a 5.5 prospect grade, meaning O’Daniel has a “chance to be an NFL star”. The team at NFL.com also states that O’Daniel is a special teams star and they love the versatility that O’Daniel possesses.
Obviously, I will agree 100% with those positives listed by NFL.com. With a few years of development, O’Daniel will become an NFL star, because, man – he is just different. Perhaps I am not a professional scout, but I am telling every single one of my readers to believe me in a few seasons, that is, if they are yet to be convinced.
If you want, keep this link saved somewhere, and in about three years, get back to me. I am sure by then, O’Daniel is a vital part to the Kansas City Chiefs defense.
Now, that my point is across, who is ready for some Kansas City Chiefs football? Yeah, me too.