KFBCA Top 11: Drew Daniels

The Kansas Football Coaches Association picked their All-State teams December 5th and 6th, including their Top 11. Kansas Pregame is providing capsules for each of the Top 11 selections. Check out Andover Central offensive and defensive lineman Drew Daniel's capsule below and check back for more capsules throughout the week.

Drew Daniels, OL/DL, 6-2, 270, Andover Central

Andover Central lost in the state championship game by just seven points at the end of November, barely missing out on the school’s first ever state title. After leading the game a majority of the way, defending 4A champs St. James Academy took a lead for the first time early in the fourth quarter, and did not relinquish it, winning 28-21.

Despite the loss, Andover Central’s body of work this season was impressive, finishing 11-2 overall with their only other loss coming against 5A Salina Central. Along the way the Jags beat rival Andover, 27-20, a then one-loss Wamego team 48-0 in the playoffs, while also handing a very good Buhler team their only two losses on the season, the second by the score of 42-21 in the state semifinals.

The Jaguars leaned heavily on a talented and experienced offensive and defensive interior led by all-state lineman, Drew Daniels, a KFBCA Top 11 pick.

“Looking back on the season I was extremely happy with how everyone played as a team this year,” Daniels said. “Everyone on the team bought into what the senior class was preaching to the underclassmen, and you can see that with how we were playing in the late part of the regular season and throughout the playoffs. With myself, I was impressed to see the improvements I made from last year with getting better with hand placement and making my pass protection better.”

Daniels' improvement in pass protection helped all-state quarterback Kai Kunz - a senior transfer from Kapaun - throw for 1,883 yards and 18 touchdowns, while the ground game had no issues either, averaging over 200 yards per game.

“We have run the ball behind Drew a lot the last four years,” head coach Derek Tuttle said. “Whether it's to his side or it's him pulling. We may have some kids with size coming up, but finding guys who can be as explosive as him will be our biggest challenge.” 

At 6-2, 270 pounds, Daniels' work defensively was also key for a team that allowed an average of just over 12 points per game. His 40 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss, three sacks, and two forced fumbles this season came while battling nearly constant double or triple teams.

“His physical play, his attention to technique and details, and his aggressive finishing of plays set him apart,” Tuttle said. “Watching him grow and improve the last four years has been fantastic. Sometimes players might get complacent if they start at a young age, but not Drew. He brought a lot of energy, a ton of desire, and a great attitude to practice every day. 

Daniels, a four-year starter on the offensive side of the ball, got an opportunity to play both sides as a sophomore, and saw it as a wakeup call.

“With mainly playing offensive line on varsity my freshman year, having the opportunity to play both ways on the defensive line really taught me how underdeveloped my body was muscular wise,” Daniels said. “With that, I really took it to heart that I needed to spend a lot of time in the weight room and on the field to improve in both areas. From my sophomore year to my senior year I saw a huge jump with how my play was on the defensive line. I started taking double teams and even triple teams. My presence on the field really means teams have to plan their attack around me, since I typically would break through single blockers.”

Daniels is currently in the process of deciding what the future holds. While he noted that he is looking to play offensive line in college, he is also open to defensive line should the opportunity be there. He intends to narrow down his list of college choices to two or three in January, and then make a decision just prior to the February National Signing Day. He currently holds offers from a number of Division II and Junior College programs with interest from some FCS programs as well.

The KFBCA Top 11 and All-State selections consist of seniors from the Class of 2022 nominated and voted on by members of the Kansas Football Coaches Association. For more info about the KFBCA find them online at www.kfbca.com.