What will Kendall Coleman have to do to stick in the NFL?
Kendall Coleman is a guy who I saw was ranked pretty low on a lot of draft boards. I’ll admit, I didn’t watch a lot of Syracuse football and he wasn’t name I’d look out for. However, when I put the tape on I understand why he was getting ranked so low. He is playing the wrong position…
Games watched: Liberty, Clemson, and Pittsburgh
Pass Rush Moves
Not a lot of variety in pass rush moves. Doesn’t really use the swim or bull-rush move–due to physical limitations probably. Doesn’t do many moves. Not many displays of him bending either. However, he does have a very clean rip and dip move, that was very effective in the games I watched. He also has a very good spin move when baiting lineman outside and I wished he used it a little more frequently. Overall just a vanilla pass rush package that’ll have to expand no matter where he plays.
Hand Placement
Being a smaller pass rusher hand placement and arm extension is key in order to be effective. For the most part, Kendall Coleman does an above average job keeping his hands inside and extends his arms when he’s not performing any moves. However, much like most smaller pass rushers, whenever he loses the hand placement battle or doesn’t extend his arms, it’s over for him. He will need up his strength as you need to have the ability to have an influence on a play, even from a disadvantageous position.
First Step/Footwork
Coleman has a fairly effective first step and takes as few steps as possible to set himself up for to make a read or move. Has a good base when engaging with blockers. His biggest issue however, is when does engage in a blocker he tends to not move his feet as much, causing him to be completely neutralized.
Play Recognition
He is fairly decent with play recognition. Probably spends a hair too long when it comes reading the run–probably in effort to not get baited in case it was a pass. He does occasionally sniff out where the ball is going right after the ball was snapped.
Athleticism
He’s not as athletic as you would like for a guy his size, but still gives you a slight advantage as he can still speed past lineman or cross their face with some ease. They did drop him back a few times in passing situations, but that was mostly on backside plays or check downs. So hard to really gauge his athleticism in coverage. Again, doesn’t really display a whole lot of bend–and he doesn’t really attempt it period.
Miscellaneous
As mentioned several times he’s not overly strong for a 4-3 DE. Not very good against run as he ends up lost in the crowd or is trailing a lot of the time. Generally has good hit power and doesn’t lunge or miss many tackles. He could benefit from switching positions that better suit his skill set.
Pros
- The few pass rush moves he has are very effective
- Very good punch to initiate contact
- Above average hand placement and extending his arms
- Good combo of first step, footwork, and base when engaging
Cons
- Needs more moves in his bag of tricks
- Lacks size and strength for his current position
- Not overly athletic for his size
- Average play recognition
- Stops moving his feet when engaging with a lineman
Summary
Kendall Coleman’s draft stock, in my opinion, has been hurt because I think he should be playing a 3-4 OLB instead of a 4-3 DE. So some of the cons could be wiped away by merely switching positions that is more suited for his size and skillset. However, he still won’t be a day one starter. I think the priority–for him to be more suited for the position I think he should play–should be to drop some weight while at the very least maintaining his muscle mass. If he makes the switch and adjusts to it, while adding some more moves to his arsenal I could see him as a very good pass rushing specialist. This however will be an uphill battle no matter what route he takes, but the potential is there.
Draft Projection: Late Day 3-Priotity UDFA
Potential Fits:
- Chicago Bears
- Washington Redskins
- Tennessee Titans
You can view the rest of our NFL Draft breakdowns here.