Senior Film Review of UCF Commitment Caden Kitler

Here’s a senior film breakdown and overview regarding UCF’s lone commitment from the state of Texas.

Author:
Brian Smith
Publish date:
Nov 18, 2021 5:25 AM EST

ORLANDO - While UCF will certainly continue to recruit the Sunshine State hard, there’s still room to branch out and find top prospects across the country, and Texas is an excellent place to start.

The Knights will replenish the depth across the offensive line with this class, so it was important to get off to a good start by landing not only talented players, but individuals willing to be moved to multiple spots along the offensive line in case of injuries and further roster attrition. This following young man fits that responsibility quite well, and his athleticism and toughness represent the type of player needed along the interior of the offensive line.

Caden Kitler

Vitals: 6’4”, 285 pounds

Position: Offensive Line

High School: Plano (Texas) John Paul II

Recruitment: Kitler took official visits to Memphis, Boise State, and UCF. He ended up selecting the Knights over the Broncos.

Athleticism

This is not your typical immobile lineman. Kitler provides the flexibility needed to be explosive out of his stance, as well as changing speeds in the open field to be effective within the screen game.

He routinely changes direction and delivers a blow to opposing defenders. The ability to bend at the knees is also a good sign. He’s capable of being an interior mauler with his ability to stay low during a run block.

Best Attributes

Intelligence. Kitler has it. He knows how to time open-field blocks, when to step down for a pin-and-pull situation, and how to be consistent with his technique during pass protection. He’s picking up the nuances of being an all-around offensive lineman quite well. That’s also why he deserves credit for the next category.

He’s a finisher. Many offensive lineman do not truly overwhelm an opposing player even when the opportunity arises. Kitler buries an opponent, time and time again. It’s more about sending a message than needing to do it. That attitude will serve him well for the Knights.

To go along with Kitler’s attitude, his power is already pretty solid for a high school player. He will need to increase strength like any other incoming freshman, but he's a broad chested young man that will lay into an opponent and they will know it when he does.

As noted above, Kitler’s athleticism is a plus. He will be able to play literally any of the five spots along the offensive line. He’s open about whether he plays guard or tackle, but one should not completely discount Kitler from playing tackle at some point.

Watching his senior film affirms that Kitler can move well enough to play offensive tackle, and now it’s more about finding the pieces around him and where they fit best before designating Kitler’s future position once and for all. More about that situation below.

College Position

Kitler and UCF Offensive Line Coach Herb Hand believe he’s likely to play center for the Knights. He could also start off at guard and possibly work at both positions. Kitler has let it be known that he will probably redshirt his freshman season at UCF, learning from several veteran UCF offensive linemen during that time.

Kitler needs to use his hands better, i.e. placement and timing, to maximize how he finishes blocks. He will sometimes block a player with his arms barely being extended away from his body; better extension of his arms with hands driving into the chest of the opposing player will produce even better results. That will be part of technique that Coach Hand and the UCF coaching staff work with Kitler, and it’s just a matter of consistency through repetitions. He's already good, and will continue to improve

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