We are two weeks away from the NFL combine, and the Las Vegas Raiders have severe needs at a plethora of positions. With two first-round picks and five picks in the top-100, the Raiders are primed to raise the talent level.
The defense displayed improvement in a few areas last season but is still a glaring problem overall. With the Raiders coming in last in most passing defense efficiency metrics, upgrades are needed, especially with the Kansas City Chiefs becoming a juggernaut.
One player who has recently been mocked to Raiders (by me as well) is South Carolina standout defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.
Kinlaw’s story and upbringing are inspiring. His mom moved here with from Trinidad, hoping for a better life and struggled to stay afloat. He worked his butt off to land at South Carolina after struggling in school and having to attend a Junior college before making the leap to Division I football.
When Kinlaw got on the field, he developed every single season as a member of the Gamecocks. His senior season was his best performance, finishing with 6 total sacks and six tackles for loss on the season. While those stats did seem underwhelming, Kinlaw was still able to generate 40 pressures on the season, according to Pro Football Focus, displaying he can be disruptive in the backfield.
How could Kinlaw fit in Las Vegas? What are his strengths and weaknesses? Let’s deep dive into his skill set and see if he is worth the first-round pick.
CONTINUE TO STRENGTHS BELOW:
STRENGTHS
Athletic ability
Kinlaw was a marvel at the senior bowl from day one solely based on his athletic ability at 310 pounds. Kinlaw is fluid in his movements for a player that size with great balance. He was able to use this to dominate the whole week, and you see it on the tape as well.
Kinlaw could become a surefire top-ten pick after the combine. If he puts together a great showing in the interview and exhibits his athleticism during the field drills to scouts, he might not be there at 12.
Upfield Burst
Kinlaw’s most exceptional trait is his incredible upfield burst. The former Gamecock does an excellent job of timing up the snap and jumping on guards and centers before they can get in their pass sets.
Kinlaw’s most dominant highlight plays are where he is barreling over defenders and is set up by his opening burst. This trait gives Kinlaw a huge advantage and will help him win early on during his career while he learns more pass rush moves to help build up his repertoire. The burst at the snap is rare and why people consider him a top ten pick.
Play Strength
Kinlaw is a monster when it comes to his play strength. He uses this to consistently overpower offensive guards and centers and pushes them into the backfield or to the quarterback. His best pass rush move is the bull rush, which allows him to accumulate pressures and be disruptive in the backfield.
I expect the defensive tackle to put at least 20 plus reps on the bench press during the NFL Combine with the way he bullies offensive lineman in college.
CONTINUE TO WEAKNESSES BELOW
WEAKNESSES
Use of Hands
One of the first things I watch when studying offensive and defensive lineman is their use of hands. Hand placement, and being fast in your hands can make or break a defensive lineman.
Hand placement is where Kinlaw struggles. He rarely keeps his hands inside on every rep, which allows offensive lineman with proper technique to shut him down when he frees up his chest. This is why you see a player at his size being pushed around in the run game at times. He is either late with hands losing the hand fight, or his hands are outside, missing the chance to gain leverage against guards and centers.
Pad Level
Pad level is always critical with defensive lineman with the old school phrase; the low man always wins. Kinlaw struggles to be a low man during his reps, and it allows him to be swallowed up by double teams.
Kinlaw can be driven out of a play easily, which is concerning when he has the strength of an ox. His feet don’t help either usually having a narrow base, and that mixed with the pad level can cause him to become a liability in the running game.
In college, he was able to bully offensive lines with pure strength, but it will be essential for him to improve his technique in these areas to reach his potential.
Pursuit/Motor
Pursuit and motor is a trait you cannot teach. It is either in you, or it is not in you, and Kinlaw motor seems underwhelming when you watch him during his game film. At times you can see Kinlaw walking before the play is whistled dead. If Kinlaw does not win right away, he fades away from the action and doesn’t fight or help make plays downfield. I know this all seems very nitpicky, but Ed Oliver, who played the same position, makes plays 20 yards away from the line of scrimmage. Hopefully, he can elevate this part of his game to the next level.
CONTINUE TO FIT WITH THE RAIDERS BELOW
Fit with the Raiders
I believe Kinlaw would still be a good fit for the Raiders’ defense, even with his few flaws. Rod Marinelli is one of the best defensive line coaches in the league and can do wonders with this type of talent. His pressure numbers display a player who can affect the passer from the interior.
With Jonathan Hankins, PJ Hall, and Maurice Hurst still on the Raiders roster, Kinlaw doesn’t have to come in and start right away while he learns to refine his technique. Kinlaw is an athletic freak and would be a welcome upgrade to the defensive lineman corps.
