Why Kendal Daniels Expects a Young Oklahoma Defensive Back to be an NFL Star

Ten players from Oklahoma’s 2026 team are currently in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine.

Linebacker Kendal Daniels, who spent his final season at Oklahoma after transferring from Oklahoma State, is one of those 10. On Thursday, Daniels took the podium to answer questions from various media outlets.

One reporter asked Daniels which of his freshman teammates he would bet his first NFL paycheck on to be drafted in a couple of years.

Daniels didn’t hesitate.

“Courtland Guillory,” Daniels said.

Guillory, a cornerback from Texas, wrapped up his stellar true freshman campaign in December.

In his first college football season, Guillory tallied 41 tackles and a team-high seven pass breakups. He earned SEC All-Freshman honors for his outstanding season.

Daniels was once a standout freshman in his own right.

As a redshirt freshman for Oklahoma State in 2022, Daniels was named the Big 12’s Defensive Freshman of the Year. He finished that season with 71 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups and three interceptions.

Daniels, though, believes that Guillory’s motor is higher than his was in 2022.

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“He’s a guy that plays with this intensity that I haven’t seen a lot from a freshman,” Daniels said. “He doesn’t care who you are. I’ve seen him go out against our best wide receiver every day and want to be better.”

Guillory still has two years until he is eligible to play in the professional ranks. Players must spend three years at the college level before they are permitted to declare for the NFL Draft.

The cornerback played 640 defensive snaps in 2025 and logged a 74.2 Pro Football Focus defensive grade, which ranked first among OU’s cornerbacks.

Though Guillory was a star during his true freshman season, there is room for him to improve. He particularly struggled against Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman — who has since transferred to Texas — and Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell II. Guillory allowed those two receivers to record a combined 110 yards.

Guillory, though, performed well against some of the SEC’s other star wideouts, including Alabama’s Germie Bernard, Missouri’s Kevin Coleman Jr. and LSU’s Barion Brown.

With at least two years until Guillory turns professional, Daniels believes that the young defensive back will only become stronger.

“He gets beat sometimes in practice, but he doesn’t care,” Daniels said. “He wants to go at it again. He holds himself accountable more than anybody. Anybody can yell at him, but he’s harder on himself than anybody.”

Guillory is one of several defensive backs who will return to Oklahoma’s secondary in 2026, along with cornerback Eli Bowen, slot corner Reggie Powers III and safeties Peyton Bowen and Michael Boganowski.

OU will begin its 2026 campaign against UTEP on Sept. 5.