Senior NFL Writer
Daniel Rios is a Senior NFL Writer at EssentiallySports who specializes in trade and roster analysis, along with team projections and the season's major storylines.
A graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, Daniel has written for Sports Illustrated, the LA Daily News, and Sports360AZ. During his time at Arizona State, he covered major events including the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the NFL Combine, gaining hands-on experience at some of football's biggest stages.
A lifelong football fan, Daniel has a particular passion for the NFL Draft. He has hosted live draft shows alongside NFL legend Brian Urlacher and produced coverage around the event, and he brings that same energy to his daily reporting for EssentiallySports.
Miami Hurricanes Crush Clemson 41-13 as Darian Mensah Answers Biggest Question About Title Hopes
Football Writer Daniel Rios breaks down what we learned from Miami in it's first big game of the season against Clemson
2027 NFL Draft Stock Risers: 3 Prospects Who Stood Out on a Loaded Saturday
NFL Writer Daniel Rios goes over game reactions and three players who raised their stock for the 2027 NFL Draft
NFL Week 3 Film Room: Raiders Rolling, Jaguars Bounce Back and Cowboys Defense Struggles
NFL Writer Daniel Rios goes over three big topics from the NFL's Week three action diving into the why of certain results
NFL Week 3: 5 Teams Separating Themselves in Key Advanced Stats
NFL Writer Daniel Rios breaks down some of the NFL's best when it comes to advanced statistics and which team is the biggest surprise.
NFL Teams at 0-3: Why Week 4 Is a Must-Win for the Dolphins, Chargers, Texans and More
NFL Writer Daniel Rios shares why five NFL teams face a must-win situation heading into Week four NFL action
Giants Acquire J.J. McCarthy From Vikings in Mid-Season Trade
NFL Writer Daniel Rios breaks down both sides of the JJ McCarthy trade which is something we don't typically see midseason
Brock Bowers Proves His Value as Raiders’ No. 1 Weapon in Week 3 Return
Just how dominant was Brock Bowers in his return? NFL Writer Daniel Rios explains how he shifted the entire offenses identity
NFL Week 3: Browns’ Pass Rush, Chargers’ Struggles and Commanders’ Turnovers Highlight Sunday’s Early Slate
Sharing highlights of some interesting stats in the early window of games in Sunday's Week 3 action. Read to learn more!
NFL Week 2 Film Review: 5 Biggest Takeaways From Broncos-Jaguars, Bengals-Texans and More
NFL Writer Daniel Rios breaks down 5 NFL matchups using film and statistics to share his takes of how teams performed
NFL 2026: 3 Teams Facing Major Problems After Falling to 0-2
NFL writer Daniel Rios breakdowns the worrisome starts to three NFL teams who have started the season off 0-2
NFL Week 2: 7 Under-the-Radar Performances You May Have Missed
NFL Writer Daniel Rios highlights seven performances from NFL Week 2 action that deserve the national spotlight
2027 NFL Draft: 6 College Football Prospects to Watch in Week 3
NFL Writer Daniel Rios highlights some NFL Draft prospects to pay attention to during this weekend of college football
