NFL’s most underrated: Packers DL Mike Daniels
Before there was Aaron Donald at Pitt, there was Mike Daniels at Iowa.
Okay, so that’s a little too extreme, but if Aaron Donald was a first round pick coming out of Pitt at 6-0, 285 pounds, then Mike Daniels coming out of Iowa at 6-0, 291 should have been selected a lot higher than he was.
In the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers cashed in on the (unwarranted) fall of Daniels to the 132nd overall pick in the draft, a compensatory selection at the end of the round.
Daniels’ play at Iowa certainly didn’t warrant such a selection, but the rest of the NFL must have perceived his size as a much bigger problem than it would turn out to be, because Daniels has since developed into an absolute stud and yet another draft gem for Ted Thompson and the Green Bay Packers.
At Iowa, Daniels was a force on the interior that was only hindered, never really stopped. He could get engulfed at times due to his size, but those were few and far in between. Most of the time, Daniels was the best player in the trenches, and that’s saying something considering some of the players he went up against at Iowa.
Nov 30, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) gets pressure from Green Bay Packers defensive end Mike Daniels (76) in the third quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
His low center of gravity allowed him unprecedented leverage, while his quickness and upper body strength proved to be too much for opposing linemen to handle most of the time. He would set things up for teammates, but Daniels cleaned up plenty for himself, racking up a whopping 66 tackles, 13 for loss, and 7 sacks as a senior for the Hawkeyes.
So far to start his NFL career, Daniels has played 46 of a possible 48 games. Last season, he was the highest graded defender in Green Bay — over Julius Peppers, mind you — at a +18.8 overall with really solid grades both against the run as well as in the pass rush department, his true forte.
Daniels was merely following up his +17.3 grade the year prior as a sophomore in the league.
Entering a contract year, Daniels has already put together two excellent seasons for the Packers’ defense, including one when he was really the only really good player (PFF grades-wise) on the unit. The Packers are going to need to set aside funds to make sure they keep Daniels around, as he’s become the most critical piece of their defensive front.
As an Iowa fan, I can tell you I would have expected nothing less of Daniels, but even I had my doubts about him as a prospect. He’s exceeded expectations as a former fourth round pick, and has proven that big production can come in a smaller package, even on the defensive line.