Damion Daniels Season 2021

Honors & Awards
» Team Captain (2021)
» Honorable-Mention All-Big Ten (2021, Coaches, Media)
» Nebraska Defensive Lineman of the Year (2021)
» Sam Foltz 27 Hero Leadership Award (2022)
» Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2017, 2018)
» Brook Berringer Citizenship Team (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)
» Tom Osborne Citizenship Team (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)

2021
Damion Daniels started the first 11 games in 2021 before suffering an injury at Wisconsin that kept him out for the remainder of the year. Despite the injury, Daniels totaled a career-high 33 tackles with two tackles for loss. He was selected as an honorable-mention All-Big Ten performer by the conference coaches and media.

Daniels posted a career-high six tackles at Illinois, including one tackle for loss. He also added his first career pass breakup against the Illini. Daniels made one tackle in the win over Fordham. Against Buffalo, Daniels recorded two tackles, including one TFL. Daniels made two tackles at No. 3 Oklahoma. He recorded four tackles at No. 20 Michigan State. Daniels made a pair of tackles in the win over Northwestern. He recorded four tackles against No. 9 Michigan. Daniels made three stops at Minnesota. He added three more tackles against Purdue. Daniels had four tackles against No. 6 Ohio State. Daniels had a pair of solo stops at No. 19 Wisconsin before suffering an injury in the first half which kept him out for the remainder of the game and the following contest against Iowa.

2020 (Junior)
Daniels was a key member of Nebraska’s defensive line as the Huskers’ starting nose guard in 2020. Daniels played in every game with three starts, and he recorded 20 tackles and 4.0 tackles for loss. 

He started at nose guard and made one tackle at No. 5 Ohio State. He added two tackles at Northwestern and made three stops in the win over Penn State. Against Illinois, Daniels made two tackles, including his second career tackle for loss. At Iowa, Daniels had a career-high five tackles, including another TFL. He made it three straight games with a tackle for loss in the win over Purdue, finishing with two total tackles. Daniels had a TFL for the fourth straight game against Minnesota, totaling four tackles against the Gophers. In the season-ending win at Rutgers, Daniels recorded one tackle.

2019 (Sophomore)
Daniels played in every game as a sophomore, including making his first career start against Wisconsin. He posted three tackles against South Alabama, then matched his career high with four tackles against Northern Illinois. Daniels added one tackle the next week at Illinois, and he had three tackles against No. 5 Ohio State. After recording one tackle against Indiana, Daniels made one tackle in his start at nose guard against Wisconsin. He recorded his final tackle of the season at Maryland.

2018 (Redshirt Freshman)
Daniels appeared in all 12 games as a redshirt freshman, totaling 12 tackles. He made his career debut in the season opener against Colorado and totaled one tackle while helping the Huskers limit Colorado to 44 yards rushing. After making two tackles against Troy, Daniels made his first career Big Ten tackle against Minnesota. Against Bethune-Cookman, Daniels recorded a season-best four tackles, including his first career tackle for loss. He added three tackles the next week at No. 8 Ohio State. In a win over Michigan State, Daniels had one tackle and he recovered a fumble to set up Nebraska’s game-tying, fourth-quarter field goal.

2017 (Redshirt)
Daniels was a preseason candidate to play as a true freshman and traveled with the Huskers to Oregon before sitting out as a redshirt.

Before Nebraska
Daniels was one of the final pieces in Nebraska’s 2017 class, announcing his decision to be a Husker on Signing Day. The 6-2, 310-pound Daniels brings an impressive background to the Nebraska defensive line.

Daniels was a standout defender for Bishop Dunne High School and Coach Michael Johnson. As a senior, Daniels finished with 78 tackles, 26 tackles for loss and nine sacks. He also forced three fumbles and had a blocked punt. His play helped Bishop Dunne to an 8-6 record and a trip to the finals of the Division 1 Texas Private and Parochial School playoffs. A team captain in 2016, Daniels was the TAPPS Defensive MVP in 2016 and earned first-team all-state honors.

Daniels also earned first-team all-state honors in 2015, when his play helped Bishop Dunne to a 12-1 record, a district championship and state runner-up honors. As a sophomore, Bishop Dunne earned the TAPSS state title and posted a 12-1 record.

Daniels is ranked among the top 25 defensive tackles in the nation by both Rivals.com and ESPN, while Scout.com lists him as the No. 7 defensive tackle in the Lone Star State. He is also listed among the top 55 players in Texas by Rivals.com, ESPN and in the 247 Sports composite rankings.

Daniels also competes in track for Bishop Dunne, throwing the shot put and discus. He was second in the district in the shot put in 2016.

Personal
Damion was born on Aug. 31, 1999, and is the son of Tony and Rhonda Daniels. He earned his degree in communication studies in May of 2020. Daniels has volunteered his time with the Nebraska Football Road Race, Day of Service and local hospital and school outreach visits. He has also served as a member of the Nebraska Student-Athlete Advisory Committee during his career. Damion’s older brother, Darrion, was a 2019 Nebraska team captain and is in his second season with the San Francisco 49ers.

The Daniels are one of nine brothers in Nebraska history where both brothers served as a Husker team captain.