The Atlanta Falcons just dropped their first official depth chart for the 2026 NFL season, and seriously, there are some eyebrow-raising moves. Ahead of their Week 1 opener on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday, Atlanta is rolling out *two* of their 2026 draft picks as defensive starters right out of the gate. After three preseason games and all those roster cuts, these guys clearly impressed enough to jump straight into the fire.
Kendal Daniels Is Taking the Field and Bringing the Pain
First up, get ready to learn the name Kendal Daniels. This dude, a fourth-round pick for Atlanta, has straight-up beaten out veteran Christian Harris for the starting off-ball linebacker spot, lining up next to Divine Deablo. Daniels is no stranger to the gridiron, having logged 54 college games between Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. His college resume is no joke: 293 tackles, five interceptions, 16 passes defensed, and 7.5 sacks. That’s some serious production! Preseason whispers compared his size and physical style to a former Falcons fan favorite, De’Vondre Campbell. You know what that means for the Steelers? This kid is going to be a problem. His first big test will be trying to shut down the Steelers’ run game, with Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle coming his way. Plus, he’s gonna get challenged in coverage by tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. Talk about a trial by fire!
Avieon Terrell: A Tenacious Rookie Corner Ready to Lock Down
On the back end of the defense, Jeff Ulbrich is also handing the keys to another rookie: Avieon Terrell. This second-round pick from Clemson is jumping straight into the nickel corner spot. And yeah, if that last name sounds familiar, he’s A.J. Terrell’s younger brother. Avieon showed out in college, too, with 39 games under his belt, tallying three interceptions, 25 passes defensed, nine tackles for a loss, and eight forced fumbles. The Falcons plan to use him both in the slot and on the boundary, but he’s kicking things off at nickel, filling in while Billy Bowman Jr. isn’t 100 percent. What really stands out about Terrell is his ball skills and a tenacious style, especially for a guy his size. His first matchup in the slot? Steelers receiver Roman Wilson.
So, here we are, Week 1, and the Falcons are making a clear statement with these young defenders. There aren’t any rookies starting on offense for them, but these two defensive guys are stepping up in a big way. Sunday’s opener against Pittsburgh is going to be a monster test for Daniels and Terrell. Can these rookies really make an immediate impact and show the league why Atlanta put so much faith in them? We’ll find out what they’re truly made of when the whistle blows.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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