Kendal Daniels Named Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State’s top-rated signee in the 2021 class, four-star safety Kendal Daniels, has been named the 2021 Gatorade Oklahoma Football Player of the Year.

He joins quarterback Spencer Sanders and receiver Brennan Presley as players who have earned the honor in their respective state. Sanders was the 2017 Gatorade Texas Football Player of the Year and Presley was the 2019 Gatorade Oklahoma Football Player of the Year.

Daniels is a 6-4, 198-pound safety out of Beggs (OK) High School and is a consensus four-star prospect. He was also tabbed a MaxPreps Second Team All-American and earned All-America status and was selected to the 2021 All-American Bowl.

There’s really question as the Daniels being the best football player in Oklahoma. He recorded 120 tackles, seven sacks and four interceptions this past season as a season. He also hauled in 38 passes for 648 yards and 10 touchdowns, leading to him earning 2A-7 MVP honors. He’s an incredible athlete not just on both sides of the ball, but on the basketball court as well, the sport which led to him playing football.

Daniels told Pokes Report’s Marshall Levenson in an exclusive interview following his commitment, “I started playing basketball and I started loving that, but it was my sophomore year, I got mad at a basketball game and I wanted hit something, so I went to go play football and then I just started loving it.”

Daniels had originally committed to Texas A&M and signed with the Aggies during the December signing period. However, he was released from his LOI after expressing his concerns to the coaching staff about the coach who recruited him being hired away to Miami. Ishmael Arstide was a defensive analyst for Jimbo Fisher and was Daniels’ primary recruiter. After receiving his release, Daniels committed and signed with the Pokes less than a week later.