2022 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: OL Draft Kenyon Green, Texas A&M

Kenyon Green is highly regarded as one of the top guard prospects in this draft. What does he have to offer a team?

Author:
Nick Falato
Publish date:
Mar 26, 2022 12:00 PM EDT

In this story:

Kenyon Green, OL

Height: 6’4
Weight: 323 lbs.
Class: Junior
School: Texas A&M
Arm length: 34 ⅛”
Hand size: 10 ⅜”

A former five-star recruit out of Atascocita High School in Humble, Texas, Greene was the No. 1 ranked Texan recruit in the 2019 cycle, and the third offensive tackle recruit in 2019 behind Alabama’s Evan Neal and Tennessee’s Darnell Wright. Green was the 15th ranked recruit nationally.

Notables

Green was incredibly versatile for the Aggies; here are his snaps played through his three-year college career as a starter:

Left tackle: 81 snaps
Left guard: 1,098 snaps
Center: 1 snap
Right guard: 853 snaps
Right tackle: 142 snaps

Green projects best at guard in the NFL, but he could realistically play tackle in a pinch. Green was a 2019 freshman All-American, a 2020 second-team All-American, and an All-American first team in 2021.

He earned a trip to the NFL Scouting Combine where he didn’t perform particularly well; despite the mediocre testing below, he was sloppy in the on-field drills. Nevertheless, Green’s ability to generate power at the point of attack shouldn’t be overlooked in the upcoming draft.

40-yard-dash: 5.24
Bench press: 20 reps
Vertical jump: 26”
Broad jump: 102”
Short-shuttle: 5.12

Strengths

Good girth, long arms, with a wide base
Possesses solid overall burst/explosiveness off the snap
Does well moving laterally, solid overall bend
Quick feet for a player of his size
Excellent play strength - bullies defenders off the line of scrimmage with impressive upper body push
Exceptional run blocker who thrives inside - solid run blocker as an OT
Moves defenders off the line of scrimmage
Solid leverage off the snap, explodes low to high, generating power through his core (wish he was more consistent with his power steps)
Delivers jolting pop on contact that can halt defenders
Strong hands that clamp and restrict space
Does a solid overall job refitting his hands
Maintains a position of power through plays, will punish defenders
Can wash defenders down the line of scrimmage with excellent lower leg drive
Does a solid job reach blocking - however, longer defenders with speed can give him trouble in this area
When uncovered, he easily gets to the second level and uses good angles of pursuit to position himself well to execute the block
Does well upon engagement with smaller defenders - good foot-speed allows him to mirror
Quick and effective combo blocker; chips and climbs and does a solid job when he isn’t the climber angling the defender away from the RB’s path
Solid overall pass protector
Great punch off the snap in pass protection, does well to adjust his hands
Very good anchor and ability to absorb contact - doesn’t get bullied or pushed back
Understands defensive alignments pre and post-snap
Does a solid job recognizing the blitz and twist game - good processor
Very versatile player with experience all over the LOS

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Can Improve

Is only an adequate athlete
Much better fit as IOL, OT is a stretch at the next level
Doesn’t consistently explode through the ground into opponents (specifically at OT)
Doesn’t always plant drive foot firmly into the ground - isn’t maximizing his strength through the ground
Footwork isn’t always efficient in both phases - in terms of placement/angle set up
Has to keep feet moving with defender in pass protection (has the ability to mirror, but leans too much)
Hands can get erratic - high and wide
Hands can be slower than desired from ground to defender’s chest
Holds too often
Can lean into contact which leads to sustainment issues
Leans too far in pass protection
Ability to flip hips when late to pickup twists isn’t nearly as fluid as other top IOL

Summary

Overall, Kenyon Green is a very powerful and versatile player who is an excellent run blocker. He strikes with authority, can drive defenders off the LOS, and does well climbing to the second level from an IOL spot. His pass protection is solid, but far from perfect.

He leans a bit too much, gets his chest in front of his toes, his hand placement/timing is inconsistent, and he doesn’t possess the smoothest change of direction in tight quarters. There’s room to improve his pass protection, hand engagement, and footwork.

Despite those issues, Green should be a first-round pick who will be a difference-making player at guard, with the ability to play tackle in a pinch. He’s a very strong, smart, player with a high floor.

GRADE: 6.71