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.
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
Bills vs Lions TNF Preview: 3 Key Matchups That Could Decide Thursday Night Football
NFL Writer Daniel Rios previews Thursday Night Football highlighting some key things to pay attention to during tonight's game
NFL Backup QBs Shine in Week 1 as Drew Lock and Carson Wentz Step Up
It was a crazy Week 1 of the NFL season, but for some fans, they lost their starting quarterback early. But the backups stepped up.
NFL Week 1 Reactions: Bears, Ravens Shine While Texans and Chargers Raise Concerns
NFL Writer Daniel Rios reacts to the results of Week 1 of the NFL season, breaking down some key statistics for teams
2027 NFL Draft: 10 College Football Players to Watch in Week 2
NFL Writer Daniel Rios highlights some players to keep an eye on during Week 2 of the college football slate
Patriots Fans Have 3 Reasons for Optimism After Disappointing Week 1 Loss
NFL Writer highlights three positives New England Patriots fans can take away from the Week 1 loss in Seattle
