7 DAYS TO KICKOFF: Danzel McDaniel

Goal No. 7: GREAT EFFORT.

#7 Danzel McDaniel True Senior 6-1 | 205 Dolton, Ill. Bio

Position: Defensive Back Previous Colleges: College of Dupage (Ill.); Dodge City Community College Projection: Starter Status: On Scholarship

Danzel "McMissile" McDaniel (b. Sept. 4, 1993) is an athletic, extremely hard-hitting player who was a mainstay in the defensive backfield in 2014 who will look to hold down his starting cornerback spot as a senior.

Entering this season, McDaniel has earned 2015 preseason All-Big 12 honors from Athlon, Lindy’s and Phil Steele.

He started all 13 games last year, earning second-team All-Big 12 honors from the league’s coaches after finishing with 59 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, three passes defended and two forced fumbles.

McDaniel recorded a career-high nine tackles at TCU and had eight stops, including two TFLs, at No. 11 Oklahoma.

He made one of the best plays in that game when he picked off a Sooners pass and returned it 5 yards for a touchdown, marking the shortest pick-six ever under head coach Bill Snyder.

McDaniel's lone sack of the year came at Iowa State on the Cyclones’ final drive to help to preserve a four-point win.

He also tallied seven tackles and a forced fumble at Baylor, while he had six tackles against Iowa State, Oklahoma State and West Virginia. Most important, he made head-rattling, highlight reel-worthy hits in almost every game.

In 2013, McDaniel played one season under head coach Gary Thomas at Dodge City Community College, where he was rated the fourth-best junior college cornerback by ESPN. He earned first-team All-Jayhawk Conference honors after recording 48 tackles, including three for loss, one interception and one forced fumble.

He also helped the Conquistadors to go 6-4, earn a berth in the Valley of the Sun Bowl in Scottsdale, Ariz., and finish with a No. 19 national ranking.

McDaniel played his freshman season in 2012 at College of Dupage under head coach Gary Thomas, helping the Chaparrals to earn a 9-2 record and a win over NE Oklahoma A&M in the Citizens Bank Bowl in Pittsburg.

He was a second-team All-Iowa Community College Athletic Conference defensive back at Dupage after carding 36 tackles, picking off one pass and recovering a fumble. McDaniel prepped at Thornridge High School in Dolton, Ill.