Daniel Standing On Solid Character With Battle For Roster Spot Imminent

What drives undrafted fullback Mikey Daniel?

Author:
Jeremy Johnson
Publish date:
Jun 29, 2020 1:41 PM EDT

Undrafted fullback or (depending on who you ask) running back Mikey Daniel has a simple plan to navigate anything in his way of making the Atlanta Falcons’ roster.

‘By any means necessary,’ as civil rights activist Malcolm X once preached.

Daniel is used to being doubted. He was a walk on at his hometown South Dakota State University. He earned playing time and eventually a scholarship.

The pandemic makes the start to the 2020 season complicated. It puts players like Daniel that haven’t been on the practice fields with their team at a disadvantage.

Daniel will be moving to a new position in NFL. Daniel was a primarily a running back for the Jackrabbits in college. At 6’2 and 235 pounds the transition was always a possibility for the Brookings, South Dakota native.

The Falcons had been planning on him making the transition since they met with him at the beginning of the draft interview process.

When camp starts, Daniel will be listed as a fullback on the roster. His transition won’t be as lengthy as it may seem. His hand won’t be in the dirt as a traditional fullback. Daniel feels he brings much more to the position than just his blocking.

“I’m in a special and unique position," Daniel said. “I don't categorize myself in any way. I’m just an athlete honestly. I'm a guy that can play wherever you need me to play.”

The pandemic and the social unrest that has come in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks in the custody of police has had the attention of the world as the NFL ponders its next steps.

Daniel has been active on social media about all of the events of the last few weeks.

For his own mental health, he has tried to focus on the being ready for the season. It’s the only thing he feels he can control at the moment.

“Subconsciously it’s there,” Daniel said. “My focus is going out and getting myself ready to contribute and make significant plays to help this team win football games. All that other stuff is out of my control really. The only thing I can control is having myself prepared when the season gets ready to go and when I report next month.”

Daniel moved from South Dakota down to Florida to complete his training. Florida was a bit more unfamiliar to Daniel, though he spent a year at IMG Academy in high school. He needed the solitude.

Daniel is confident in his ability. He works hard. That confidence and work ethic started at home. Daniel and his family moved to Brookings, South Dakota when Daniel was 10-years-old.

Daniel’s experience was unique from the one he’d had in Seattle.

“Interesting to say the least,” Daniel said with a laugh. “It had a small-town feel where everyone knows everyone. It was cool. I had a unique upbringing… Being the only black kid in the school had a different outlook. I’ve seen a lot of crazy things.”

He eventually made his way to Brookings High School where he started as a cornerback for head coach Lee Schmidt.

It wasn’t long into his high school career that Schmidt knew Daniel was going to be a good football player.

“He’s one of those special kids you have every once in a while, with the type of charisma, attitude and work ethic,” Schmidt said.

It was when he left Brookings High School for IMG Academy, that Schmidt saw Daniel become someone who could overcome being under-recruited and undrafted. Daniel played at IMG in Bradenton, Florida for one season alongside multiple Division I and eventual NFL players.

Schmidt applaud Daniel for taking on the challenge.

“He really wanted to see how he compared to some of the best kids in the country,” Schmidt said. “I admired him for willing to take that on.”

Daniel saw what he needed to see. He worked hard before. The complex thinking about the sport he was exposed to while at IMG Academy changed how he approached the sport. He got a bit stronger and a tick faster.

Daniel developed his team-first mentality came from his year down at IMG Academy. When he returned to BHS, Daniel became a leader for the Bobcats. Daniel played both ways and asked to be on the special team units.

“He’d learned a lot about himself, what it takes, and he excelled,” Schmidt said. “He played both ways, he asked to play special teams in his senior year. He was a kid willing to do anything. He just wanted to win, and he wanted to compete. He would take a ball in practice and run 30 yards with it. He never took anything for granted. He always put in that extra effort…He had a sense of maturity that he didn’t have when he left. It was kind of an aha moment going down there and coming back.”

The maturity and willingness to do a little of everything is only a part of what makes him one to watch to make the Falcons’ roster.

Daniel doesn’t mind the challenge of earning his keep. He had to earn everything he got with the Jackrabbits. Daniel walked on and red-shirted in 2015. He won starred on the team’s scout team before earning playing time as a red-shirt freshman in 2016.

The underrated and overlooked narrative doesn’t define Daniel.

Schmidt has always known him to be an authentic act.

“He’s very genuine,” Schmidt said. “What he’s doing, you know there is something deep in his heart and it means a lot to him. That’s why he does it… He’s a kid that’s always been underestimated by everybody. He doesn’t live by that. He lives by a code of being the best he can be at whatever he’s doing. He’s not worried about people doubting him. I think he’ll come in confident because he’s worked hard to be where he is. He’ll give it everything he’s got. Whether he makes it or not, that’ll be on him. He knows that. That’s how he looks at it.”

Daniel’s personal motivation comes from his family. His grandmother was a big part of his upbringing. He works hard today because he remembers his grandmother telling him about how inspiring his work ethic was for her during her cancer treatments.

Daniel’s grandmother battled breast cancer twice before passing away with it after a third bout in 2016.

“She would always tell that watching my process and how hard I work helped her get through the first two fights with cancer,” Daniel said. “There would be days where she’d be struggling, but she’d think about my hard work and persistence. That helped her to keep going.”

The presence of his grandmother still has a heavy place in Daniel’s heart. He’s found ways to pay tribute to her throughout his college career. The week following her passing, Daniel scored a touchdown and pointed toward the sky. It was the first thing he thought to do to honor his late grandmother.

It stuck. He scored 29 touchdowns at SDSU. Many of them were punctuated with the salute to the heavens.

“I just pointed to her," Daniel said. “It just kind of stuck. That was kind of the first thing that came to my head to do. It’s a tribute to her and God. I’m big in my faith. I know that they’re both looking over me and I’m thankful for it.”

Daniel is now leaning on his grandmother’s example as he embarks on his NFL journey. The words of his grandmother act as motivation for him.

“I’ve been thinking about that whole time,” Daniel said. “Not every day is going to be easy to train. My mom and her as well continues to help me grow and motivate myself.”