Syracuse Signee Evaluation: Kalan Ellis
Player: Kalan Ellis
Position: Offensive Guard
Height/Weight: 6-5, 350
School: St. Louis School (Honolulu, HI)
Other Notable Offers: Hawaii, San Diego State, UCLA, Virginia
Evaluation:
Frame: If you think about a prototypical frame for an interior offensive lineman, Kalan Ellis is exactly that. He is a massive 6-5, 350 pounds and has plenty of power behind that size. It should not be surprising if Syracuse looks to reshape some of that within the strength and conditioning program, potentially looking to get him down to 330 or 340. Dakota Davis, for example, has a similar build and played this past season at 327. Ellis may not get down to quite that number, but do not be surprised if you see him transform during his Orange career.
Athleticism: Despite his size, Ellis moves quite well. He uses his legs to drive opposing linemen at the point of attack. Ellis can pull and get to the second level.
Polish: Ellis is more polished as a run blocker than in pass protection. He has good pad level, is able to get into his opponent and keep them on the block, while also bouncing off at the right time to get to a linebacker or safety and spring his running back. The next step in his development is working on pass protection both in terms of footwork and hand technique.
Bottom Line: How can you not like the size and strength Ellis brings to the table? Now it is up to him to work hard on developing and refining his technique, but the upside is certainly there.