Oklahoma State Safety Kendal Daniels Enters Transfer Portal
One of Oklahoma State’s top defenders will be finding a new home.
On Monday, OSU safety Kendal Daniels reportedly told ESPN that he is entering the transfer portal. He adds to the growing number of players heading elsewhere on the first official day of the portal opening.
Daniels spent the first four seasons of his college career with the Cowboys and emerged as one of the team’s best defenders. After taking a redshirt in 2021, Daniels had a breakout season as a freshman in 2022.
He won Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors. As a freshman, he recorded 71 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and a forced fumble.
He built on his freshman campaign in 2023 and played a significant role in OSU’s rise to 10 wins and a Big 12 Championship appearance. Daniels finished his sophomore year with 105 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and one forced fumble.
Those big years led to him being among the many Cowboys who fans were excited to watch in 2024. However, the season did not quite go as Daniels or anyone else anticipated.
The Cowboys‘ defense was almost never at or near full strength throughout the season, leading to OSU having one of the worst units in the FBS. Still, Daniels was one of the few OSU defenders to appear in every game and provided stability.
In 2024, Daniels had his lowest total tackle numbers at 64 but made his hits count, with 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, both career highs.
Daniels leaves Stillwater as one of the best defenders OSU has seen over the past few years, having played in every game over the past three seasons. With one year of eligibility left, Daniels is sure to add to his impressive career totals and make an impact at his next stop.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.