Matt Kalil 2012 NFL Draft Prospect Notes

Our work is never finished here at Mocking the Draft as we are already looking to 2012.  The summer will feature a lot of prospect evaluations that we will build upon during the season.  Continue reading to see the complete notes on each prospect.  Keep an eye out for out 2012 position rankings as well as the new Prospect Power Poll both debuting sometime soon.

Matt Kalil
6'7, 295 pounds | Offensive Tackle | USC

First Word: Kalil is one of the top prospects for the 2012 NFL Draft.  He has good experience against top level competition and has received excellent coaching.  Kalil has the physical tools to be a very good left tackle in the NFL and could be selected early in 2012.  He uses his hands very well routinely velcroing to the defender with inside placement.  In pass protection, Kalil takes balanced steps which allows him to react to counter moves.  While Kalil is a very good player he still needs some improvement.  He needs to work on remaining low throughout the play in order to maintain proper leverage.  He also has a tendency to backpedal rather than shuffle and slide.  His use of angles were exploited from time to time by quicker pass rushers.  However, overall he is an excellent prospect that has his eyes set on the 1st round.

Bold Statement:At this point, I feel that Tyron Smith is a better prospect because he plays with better leverage and is more athletic.  However, Kalil has an entire season to improve which he is very likely to do.

Games Viewed: Washington '10, UCLA'10, Cal'10, Virginia '10, Oregon St. '10

Matt Kalil
6'7, 295 pounds | Offensive Tackle | USC

Notes:

• Kalil does a great job firing off the football and quickly getting into his set
• He gets his hands extended and into the body of the defender
• Kalil is able to velcro to the defender making it tough for them to disengage
• His upper body strength allows him to effectively turn and seal the defense
• A high motor and tenacity help him make blocks down the field
• Kalil takes short and balanced steps he allows him to utilize his strength and keep the defender in front of him
• He does a tremendous job getting his hands extended and into the defender which allows him to be a velcro player
• His good quickness makes him a factor when asked to pull and climb to the 2nd level
• Kalil has a thin frame and needs to work on adding some pounds and bulk
• He really needs to be more consistent with his pad level. He tends to rise as the play progresses hindering his leverage and ability to anchor.
• Kalil is a decent athlete but appears stiff at times.  Not a fluid as I expected.
• His angles to the edge need some work.  At times, he backpedals and sinks to far into the pocket allowing the rusher to get underneath him and flatten.