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Michael Danna brings maximum hustle, versatility to Chiefs defense

By Byron Smith

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 30: Justin Fields #1 of the Ohio State Buckeyes tries to get around the tackle of Michael Danna #4 of the Michigan Wolverines during the second half at Michigan Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ohio State won the game 56-27. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 30: Justin Fields #1 of the Ohio State Buckeyes tries to get around the tackle of Michael Danna #4 of the Michigan Wolverines during the second half at Michigan Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ohio State won the game 56-27. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Strength: Tackling

On display as far back as his high school tape, Michael Danna is a great tackler. Running backs, quarterbacks, tight ends—the position does not matter. When Danna puts his hands on them, they are going down.

His strength is on display when he tackles high, using his massive arms to wrap up the ball carrier and drag them down. Stiff arms have little to no effect on him, with his wingspan coming into play and just reaching around the ballcarrier’s arm and dishing out punishment for the disrespect. When Danna grabs the quarterback, they are not escaping. Mobile quarterbacks find their window of opportunity narrowed rapidly whenever Danna gets a hand on them.

Danna rarely had a missed or broken tackle in college, and if he can keep tackling at a high level in the NFL, he will find himself a ton of success.

Strength: Bend

When coming off the edge, it is important have a really good “bend” which means leaning your body and shifting your weight so that you can come around the edge of the line and into the back of the pocket, rather then ten yards upfield. This bend also helps elite defensive ends get under and around the lineman to put immediate pressure on the quarterback.

In the footage above, Michael Danna lines up primarily at defensive end, and is tasked with getting after Justin Fields, one of the best quarterbacks in college football. Fields has elite vision and pocket awareness, while making his best throws under pressure, so taking him down is no easy task.

Danna still puts in work against Fields, coming off the edge with speed and bending around the guard to push Fields up in the pocket, where in an ideal world, the nose tackles have pushed their blockers and are forcing the quarterback out of the pocket. Unfortunately this is not an ideal world, and Ohio State has an great set of linemen.

Despite the lack of success, Danna continues to attack the edge and bend his way into the pocket, showing off his abilities at edge every play he could.

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