The Real Deal on Kalil

[TeddyB]

Going over my last 10 years of PFW and their rankings and here are the #1 tackles they had ....

1. Ferguson 7.5
2. Gallery 7.0
3. Long 7.0
4. Kalil 6.75
5. Thomas 6.7
6. Okung 6.7
7. J Smith 6.6
8. Barnes 6.51
9. Gross 6.45
10. Costonzo 6.2.

So, Kalil is the 4th highest ranked OT to come out the past TEN years... Do you guys still pass on him?

[tommyboy]

well, they also have Gallery rated on par with Long....and ferguson on top....but yeah, you can't pass him up....if you can get an extra 2 or 3 and still get Kalil, that would be outstanding.

[PsychoViking]

I'm not sure that it matters. People want one or the other but the teams genuinely love Claiborne, too. We desperately need to improve our secondary.........need a better LT but IMO some of the sacks were also Ponder holding it all day (expected) so I won't have a problem with either.

[Vin Lombardi]

I would love Kalil, but not at #3. There should be no reason that we are picking at #3 tomorrow night, unless the FO sucks at negotiating. There are too many big names and teams looking to move (Tannehill, Richardson, Claiborne, etc) for us to stay at #3 at get a guy. We need more than one starter out of this draft or next, and the best way to accomplish that is to get more picks.

[Viking's Lore]

Going over my last 10 years of PFW and their rankings and here are the #1 tackles they had ....

1. Ferguson 7.5
2. Gallery 7.0
3. Long 7.0
4. Kalil 6.75
5. Thomas 6.7
6. Okung 6.7
7. J Smith 6.6
8. Barnes 6.51
9. Gross 6.45
10. Costonzo 6.2.

So, Kalil is the 4th highest ranked OT to come out the past TEN years... Do you guys still pass on him?

Yes and here's why. I've seen many USC games live and supplemented what road games I didn't see by viewing game tape exclusively focused on Kalil but backdoored my way into several others by viewing tape on Matt Barkely (a trick I learned several years ago when scouting another OL). Pass blocking is his strong suit and he's generally very good against small speed rushers to the outside but has problems when they cut back inside but he has even more more problems matched up with bigger DE's who have speed AND power because he so infrequently would get into proper position and bend his knees. When he will have to match up against NFL DE's like say Peppers, Ware, Freeney, he's going to have more than his share of problems adjusting his game. While his run blocking in space is relatively good, his blocking straight ahead is reminicent of a.... disinterested Bryant McKinnie. He's also lazy taking plays off, rarely helps his left guard when left with no one to block in USC's zone blocking scheme who frequently helped him with pass rushers who took on inside route and beat him and he's on record as not wanting to bulk up from around 315 which is where he reportedly is at right now (played in the high 290's) to the 320's or up to 330 like he may have to in order to be a more well rounded OT.

There are other LT prospects who I have rated highly who would be available later in the draft ranging from Cordy Glenn (reminds me of Korey Stringer but with better feet) if the Vikes were to trade down with the Jets to the mid 1st round or even Nate Potter out of Boise State who is very similar to Ryan Clady coming out of the same school who can be had, I think, at the top of the 3rd.

[DenverViking]

Yes and here's why. I've seen many USC games live and supplemented what road games I didn't see by viewing game tape exclusively focused on Kalil but backdoored my way into several others by viewing tape on Matt Barkely (a trick I learned several years ago when scouting another OL). Pass blocking is his strong suit and he's generally very good against small speed rushers to the outside but has problems when they cut back inside but he has even more more problems matched up with bigger DE's who have speed AND power because he so infrequently would get into proper position and bend his knees. When he will have to match up against NFL DE's like say Peppers, Ware, Freeney, he's going to have more than his share of problems adjusting his game. While his run blocking in space is relatively good, his blocking straight ahead is reminicent of a.... disinterested Bryant McKinnie. He's also lazy taking plays off, rarely helps his left guard when left with no one to block in USC's zone blocking scheme who frequently helped him with pass rushers who took on inside route and beat him and he's on record as not wanting to bulk up from around 315 which is where he reportedly is at right now (played in the high 290's) to the 320's or up to 330 like he may have to in order to be a more well rounded OT.

There are other LT prospects who I have rated highly who would be available later in the draft ranging from Cordy Glenn (reminds me of Korey Stringer but with better feet) if the Vikes were to trade down with the Jets to the mid 1st round or even Nate Potter out of Boise State who is very similar to Ryan Clady coming out of the same school who can be had, I think, at the top of the 3rd.

I generally agree with this assessment. The thing that is exciting about Kalil is that he's got some serious tools to work with. A good head and work ethic, good pedigree, prototypical size and athleticism, the best technique I've seen in a long time. So while he's not flawless on film, or the dominating guy that I think some are expecting, he really should develop into a very good left tackle.

I like Cordy Glenn a lot. So many say that he'll have to move to guard, but in the Senior Bowl he looked terrific at tackle and couldn't block anyone at guard. I think he definitely stays at tackle. The best right tackle in this draft IMO. And, while I can't find a single "expert" who agrees with me on this, so maybe I'm clueless, but based on what I saw at the Senior Bowl, I think he has a solid chance to play left tackle.

[PsychoViking]

Yes and here's why. I've seen many USC games live and supplemented what road games I didn't see by viewing game tape exclusively focused on Kalil but backdoored my way into several others by viewing tape on Matt Barkely (a trick I learned several years ago when scouting another OL). Pass blocking is his strong suit and he's generally very good against small speed rushers to the outside but has problems when they cut back inside but he has even more more problems matched up with bigger DE's who have speed AND power because he so infrequently would get into proper position and bend his knees. When he will have to match up against NFL DE's like say Peppers, Ware, Freeney, he's going to have more than his share of problems adjusting his game. While his run blocking in space is relatively good, his blocking straight ahead is reminicent of a.... disinterested Bryant McKinnie. He's also lazy taking plays off, rarely helps his left guard when left with no one to block in USC's zone blocking scheme who frequently helped him with pass rushers who took on inside route and beat him and he's on record as not wanting to bulk up from around 315 which is where he reportedly is at right now (played in the high 290's) to the 320's or up to 330 like he may have to in order to be a more well rounded OT.

There are other LT prospects who I have rated highly who would be available later in the draft ranging from Cordy Glenn (reminds me of Korey Stringer but with better feet) if the Vikes were to trade down with the Jets to the mid 1st round or even Nate Potter out of Boise State who is very similar to Ryan Clady coming out of the same school who can be had, I think, at the top of the 3rd.

I was really surprised at how much inside pressure he was giving up when I watched the games.

Potter is probably a 6th round pick at this point, he had a pretty bad season.