The Kansas City Chiefs brought in their second former Clemson football player this offseason in Dorian O’Daniel. O’Daniel was selected with the 100th pick in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Earlier in what has been a tumultuous offseason thus far, the Chiefs traded for former Clemson wide out, Sammy Watkins. Playing under offensive genius, Andy Reid, Watkins hopes to return to his rookie-season form. If healthy, look for him to be a consistent deep-threat for the Chiefs.
Reid wasn’t done dipping into Clemson’s alumni base as they selected O’Daniel with the last pick in the third round. With that, O’Daniel became the first Tiger off of the board in this draft. He gives Kansas City one of the most versatile linebacker prospects in the entire draft.
Fit in KC
Much like he did in Death Valley, I expect O’Daniel to develop over time in Kansas City. He was fortunate enough to get drafted by an NFL franchise that is stable. He’s not going to be asked to come in and save the day right away, he’ll have time to properly acclimate to the NFL.
While I don’t expect O’Daniel to make an immediate impact on defense, I do expect him to be a terror on special teams. Coming from a program like Clemson – which emphasizes the importance of earning your way on the field through special teams – O’Daniel has an advantage over some rookies. His effort and nose for the football will standout regardless where he lines up.
O’Daniel posted 103 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, two interceptions and two touchdowns in 2018, which shows the impact he can have on all three levels of a defense. His ability to cover is what makes him special. There aren’t too many linebackers that can run and flip their hips like O’Daniel in coverage.
Rounds 4-7
With O’Daniel off of the board, Clemson football has a handful of other players waiting to hear their names called. Deon Cain, Ray-Ray, McCloud and Taylor Hearn all have good chances of being selected on the final day of the draft.
Next: Clock ticking for Alexander in Minnesota?
It’ll be interesting to see if former Clemson defensive backs, Van Smith or Ryan Carter get the call this afternoon.