Dorian O’Daniel was “fired up” to go to Kansas City Chiefs

Clemson football head coach Dabo Swinney says Dorian O’Daniel was “fired up” to head to the Kansas City Chiefs after being drafted in the third round.

The Kansas City Chiefs held the final pick on Day 2 at the end of the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft and used it in a bit of a surprise choice on Clemson linebacker Dorian O’Daniel. Many draft analysts and fans alike expected the Chiefs to draft a cornerback with one of their three Day 2 choices. Instead, they took O’Daniel shortly after grabbing defensive linemen like Breeland Speaks and Derrick Nnadi.

After making the picks, however, Brett Veach’s enthusiasm and explanation for the selection made things quite clear about how O’Daniel plans to fit into the Chiefs plans on a number of levels. It turns out that the Chiefs general manager wasn’t the only one who was excited, as O’Daniel himself was “fired up,” per his college coach Dabo Swinney, to be joining K.C.

"“It’s just really great to see a guy like him – who a couple years ago was a free agent – to go all the way up to the third round,” Swinney said. “He feels like they have a plan for him and he’s a good fit for the scheme and the things they’re going to ask him to do.”"

The excitement on both sides will be felt as the team plays O’Daniel in myriad ways. The Clemson defender is expected to play a hybrid role for the Chiefs a la Daniel Sorensen in that he can come in safety blitzes, drop in coverage on tight ends or even the slot, diagnose the run or shadow a running quarterback. He’s also truly special when it comes to special teams.

All in all, O’Daniel is a very versatile, athletic player who should upgrade several various packages for the Chiefs. Pretty soon Chiefs fans will likely be as fired up to have him as the team and player already are.