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KK's 2018 NFL Draft Prospect Preview: Interior DL

Welcome all to this year's' fourth edition of my 2018 NFL Draft Prospect Preview . For those that were not here the past few years, I love the college draft process more than just about anything else in football. Attempting to scout, evaluate, and predict how college kids will perform at the next level and how NFL teams will see this is a major hobby of mine. Over the past few years on AP I've done a little NFL Draft Prospect Preview series outlining some players at some positions that I think we may be looking at. I try to get between 10-15 guys written up at each position I watch (I watch plenty more just don't write them all up due to time restraints) however this year is different with no 1st round pick as of now. Rather than writing up my 1-10/15 players at a position, I'm cutting out the top 3-5 players at a position that I don't think we have a chance to draft.

This edition is for Interior Defensive Linemen, specifically 3 and 5 techs and this time the only guy that I didn't include is Maurice Hurst (and Vea if you think he's more of a 3/5tech). I did watch Hurst (and Vea) just didn't write them up because there is too slim of a chance we will get to draft them.The Chiefs have Chris Jones, Allen Bailey, Justin Hamilton, and a few new, cast-off DTs from other teams on the current roster. Rakeem Nunez-Roches is most likely coming back on his tende. That's the extent of the Chiefs defensive line, there is a noticeable lack of talent and depth, specifically in terms of getting any form of pressure on the passer. Obviously the DL needs help at every position, NT included but that's going to be a different post, but specifically Chris Jones needs some help providing that interior pass rush as RNR and Bailey have proven to not be adequate in that regard. Bailey and RNR are also both very expendable after this year if we wish to save money as well. Bob Sutton enjoys running a ton of 2 dl sets but in order to do so you have to have two players capable of rushing the passer as well as not being driven back in the run game easily.

The format of this series, every edition will have the same general format, which is as follows:

Prospects Name - Position - School - Measurables
Combine Results (I will be updating them when they come out in a final version)

Round Grade -

Strengths - Random notes I had scribbled down as consistent traits I saw when watching film

Weaknesses- Random notes I had scribbled down as consistent faults

Final Word: As a slight mix up to last year, the final word section will be brief (to help me get through more players with a busier schedule than last year) and include how they'll succeed in the NFL, how they'd fit with the Chiefs, and where I think they'll get drafted


The players are in order of how I graded them, not where I see NFL teams taking them but where I would. I don't want to set inaccurate expectations, this is not a full scouting report on any of these players, it's a Preview of them of them for those who are unfamiliar or just want to know the quick n dirty jist. Full Scouting Reports I will do for my final mock draft and once the Chiefs have made their official draft picks.


Meet the Prospects

Nathan Shepherd: 1/3-Tech Fort Hays State

6'3" 310lbs

Late Round 1

Good size and build, good first step, extremely violent hands, great lateral wiggle inside, lateral hop/hand swipe move is his go to, variety of pass rush moves (club, rip, bull, push-pull), shows good flexibility to beat combo blocks, doesn't get moved against solo blocks, motor, good range and closing speed, shows above average instincts, major strength

Level of competition, ball get off could use a little work, gets too high off the snap, not a double team anchor, needs to chain moves together when he can't just overpower the competition, while his technique is pretty sound he doesn't comprehend OL technique and how to attack it,

Final Word: Nathan Shepherd was the talk of the scouting world for a week around Senior Bowl Practices, he was an unknown to many that came from a small school and simply beat up on much better competition. He has a good first step and good power but where really separates himself as a player is as a pass rusher using a combination of extremely violent hands and some nice wiggle/flexibility for a big man. Coming from a small school, there is a learning curve but it's less about his own play and more about his understanding of the game. With the Chiefs Shepherd could contend later in the year for some 5tech reps on early downs but his calling card as rookie would be as a pass rusher on 2 DL sets or even as the NT on passing downs. Shepherd's combine will be a big point of him as it will allow him to showcase his athleticism; Shepherd looks to be heading for a late Round 2/early Round 3 draft pick.


Andrew Brown: 3/5-Tech Virginia

6'3" 294lbs

Early Round 2

Athletic build, strong lower body, explosive first step when allowed, hands contain great power, shows the ability to engage-press-disengage, kept contain often, versatile (stand-up, 3 tech, 5 tech, 7 tech), good rip and swim moves, good cornering ability outside that translates inside, generates space with his hands, shows good instincts

Doesn't always play with his length, solid but not great as a 2-gapper, footwork looks heavy, needs to force inside hands more often, good/elite/average athlete?, walks his way into being walled off too often, plays too far upfield at times

Final Word: Andrew Brown was another big riser at the Senior Bowl as people finally got a look at him playing in a more natural position and style than he had been while at UVA. Brown shows great explosion off the snap, powerful and violent hands, and a nice bit of flexibility to make slipping through gaps as a pass rusher his calling card going into the NFL draft. He's not a bad run defender and possesses the knowledge and strength to play in multiple schemes and fronts but he has to watch his aggressive nature when attacking gaps in the running game. Brown would be a great fit for over-taking Allen Bailey at the other DE spot across from Chris Jones and giving KC their coveted 2 DL sets that allow both players to attack the backfield on passing downs. There is a little concern around Brown's athleticism being held down due to scheme or due to a lack of athleticism so the combine will be big in determining if he's a top 50 type player or a top 75 type player; at this point he should be expecting to go mid-round 2.


Trenton Thompson: 3/5-Tech Georgia

6'4" 295lbs

Late Round 2

Good burst, good length, plays with a good pad level for height, generates power through his lower body, light on his feet, watches the ball well, good grip strength to disengage with pulls and tosses, works his moves well, presses the edge well for a big man if forced outside, keeps a wide base and squared shoulders, controls multiple gaps at once, solid change of direction skills

Longer injury history, struggles with upper body strength to punch and press OL off him, opts for lateral disengagement, hands aren't soft but could use more violence and quickness, couple injury concerns, not much was asked of him to penetrate the LoS, strong double teams move him

Final Word: Trenton Thompson is a guy who spend his last two years, when healthy, at Georgia mostly playing as a two-gapper along the DL. Thompson does a pretty good job holding his blocks at the point of attack and really shines with his ability to rip OL hands off of him although he could use to quicken his hands up a bit and hopefully generate a little more power to his punch. As a pass rusher Thompson flashes form time to time showing he's pretty nimble for his size and has a good bit of balance and a little dip to generate some interior pressure, however it just wasn't something that was asked of him very often in college. With the Chiefs Thompson would make a great 5-tech to play in the rotation with Jones, Bailey, and RNR and could develop into a solid complimentary pass rusher to Jones on the inside. Thompson is in a prime position in the upcoming combine to show he has some pass rushing athleticism to cement his name in the 2nd round of the draft


Taven Bryan: 3 Tech Florida

6'4" 295lbs

Late 2nd Round

Extremely explosive first step, good size and wears it well, fights to keep inside hands, strong man that presses blockers off of him, rangy for a DT, good shoulder dip on the interior, shoots gaps with ease, drives blockers backwards, holds up pretty well vs double teams, very good run defender when not over pursuing,

Very raw, no real pass rush moves, lacks instincts, engages with his head down losing track of the ball, takes himself out of plays getting upfield too fast (scheme issue potentially), doesn't finish beating blockers nor runners, plays too high once engaged, good but not elite athlete like billed

Final Word: Taven Bryan is another in the long line of interior DL coming outta UF that show an explosive first step paired with some unique power or athleticism. Bryan is so far off the snap that he can beat OL out of their stance and be in their gap before they get set, this often times is with a snap guess but that appears to be being taught at UF so hard to fault him for it. Bryan has unique power that allows him to be very effective vs double teams in the run game or shrink the pocket very fast from the inside but right now his overall lack of understanding of the game is holding him way back. For the Chiefs Taven Bryan would be a great fit along the DL whether playing outside at 5tech or at 3tech on some pass rushing snaps; with his ability to hold up to strong blockers he could even see some looks at the 1tech spot against non-heavy sets. Bryan stock is currently sky high based on that first step explosion but with the combine looming he may have a slight drop in draft stock if he shows to be only a good or average athlete; Bryan should be off the board by the mid-2nd round at the latest either way.


RJ McIntosh: 3/5-Tech Miami

6'4" 293lbs

Early-Round 3

Good size and length, looks mostly filled out, fantastic arm-over off the LoS when shooting a gap, shows a good explosion out of his stance, has a decent concept of pass rush moves, keeps OL at bay when his hands land first, shows an inside spin move, maintains his ground and disengages from blockers

Overuses the arm-over, gets caught off balance too often, not extremely stout vs double teams, would rather finesse someone than battle them, average change of direction ability, speed/quickness are subpar, needs to shoot his hands earlier and stay lower out of his stance

Final Word: R.J. McIntosh is flying a little under the radar at at this point in time which bodes well for those NFL teams in need of DL help.Though still plenty raw in his technique, he shows a quick first step and ability to slide through gaps when he tries to shoot them but has enough strength to also anchor vs solo blocks along the LoS most of the time. McIntosh isn't an elite athlete but has enough juice to be useful as a pass rusher but his ability vs the run is his biggest selling point right now and he has shown improvement in his pass rushing repertoire. For the Chiefs McIntosh would likely be thrust into the rotation along the DL pretty early but a lack of elite pass rushing traits/athleticism may limit his snap count while he continues to refine his technique. The combine could really boost McIntosh's stock for the draft but he appears ready to put out a solid but not great performance leaving him comfortably in the middle of Day 2 on draft day.4.5


Justin Jones: 1/3-Tech NCST

6'2" 311lbs

Late Round 3

Powerful-squatty build, surprisingly spry and agile for size, extremely strong, sinks his hips and widens his base to anchor, can anchor very well, shows the ability to penetrate a gap, there is a good burst in his game, disenges form blocks well, great effort/motor on plays he's in, good play recognition, position flexibility as 1 or 3 tech

Inconsistent off the snap, looks to have shorter arms, stands up out of his stance instead of exploding forward, conditioning could be questionable, hand tech is still raw in terms of pass rush moves, needs to develop better hands to help shoot gaps

Final Word: Justin Jones has a compact, solid build that often gets him confused as the run stuffer for NCST despite lining up as the 3 tech most plays. Jones is very stout vs the run showing the ability to anchor on the interior as well as cause some disruption with his strength. Where he impresses is the flashes of athleticism to blow through the OL and wreck runs in the background or get on top of a QB quickly. Jones still has quite a bit of clean up to do with his hands and his ball get off but his strength, athleticism, and leverage allow him to be effective as it stands. With the Chiefs he would be a rotational player working at the NT and occasional 3 tech work but wouldn't be a full time starter early on. Justin Jones was kind of hidden on a loaded NCST DL and he may be the least sexy of the 4 options which will help a team steal him early in the 4th round.


Harrison Phillips: 5-Tech/NT Stanford

6'3" 295lbs

Late Round 3

Good pad level most plays, plays with a wide base, uses his length great, shoots inside hands quickly, presses linemen off to generate space, quick to disengage, anchors well when butt is behind him, actively watches the ball while engaged, uses a single long arm to maintain space and gap control, very strong grip/hands when disengaging

Not a good athlete, 1 pass rush move (swim), not a NT, can't anchor vs double teams consistently, no real pass rush ability, doesn't play behind the LoS but rather at it, would like to see his long arms be used in passing lanes, does he have the athleticism to play 5 tech?, plays up to his height when reading the play

Final Word: Harrison Phillips is a relatively easy projection from the college ranks to the NFL (the question will be how is it valued) and that is is simply as a run defender at the next level. Phillips has great hand technique a strong grip to go with it making it easy for him to get off blocks easily. He has good strength to hold up at the point of attack and stays active the entire play. The two issues facing Phillips will be his lack of pass rush at the next level providing only pocket pushing and effort and exactly what position he'll play as he's a bit tall and not girthy enough for a true NT but may not have the athleticism to play outside. For the Chiefs they'd have to determine if they'll want to try him at NT or out wide at 5tech but in either scenario he would provide them some added help against the run on early downs. Phillips stock seems to be up and down depending on where the info is coming from, based on hype around Phillips right now he should be drafted late in the 2nd round.


Kentavius Street: 3/5 Tech NCST

6'2" 285lbs

Late-Round 3

Explosive first step, violent hands, does a good job fighting for inside hands, extends OL with a wide base, versatility to play inside or outside (3 or 5tech), actively keeps his eyes on the ball, tries to get his hands in passing lanes, plays with good pad level, has quick hands to disengage, consistently holds contain, does a good job working back to the ball if he over-runs a play, he strong

Bit of a tweener currently, needs to add some sand in the pants, doesn't hold up well to double teams, not consistent in his snap get off which puts him behind in the rep a lot, change of direction seems below average, still learning pass rush moves and when to use them

Final Word: Kentavius Street is the overlooked NCST defensive linemen from this past year partly because it was an incredibly talented unit but also because he was played mostly out of position. Street played SDE and was often tasked with just setting the edge and holding contain but he is also a bit too stiff and lacks change of direction ability to be a true DE in the NFL. He sounds like he's already been trying to put size back on since the season ended which will help big time as he should slide to an interior DL with his natural strength, height/length, and first step off the LoS. For the Chiefs Street would be a good addition that the Chiefs could use outside as a 5tech as well as another 3 tech on pass rushing downs as he polishes up his rushing attack. Street could have a huge combine that boosts his draft value but right now he's flying under the radar and is looking to hear his name called late Round 3 or Early Round 4.


Da'Shawn Hand: 5-Tech Alabama

6'3" 282lbs

Late Round 3

Long frame, uses his hands well, fights for inside hands, presses and extenders players off of him, has a wide tackle radius, anchors well vs double teams on the edge, fantastic setting the edge and forcing runs back inside, keeps his gap side hand free, does a good job of stringing runs out

Provides little to nothing as a pass rusher, struggles to get blockers off his chest if they get inside, lack of urgency (defensive scheme possibly), slow footed, change of direction skills look labored, hands don't pack a big punch

Final Word: Da'Shawn Hand was never able to live up to the insane hype and become the next great Bama DL but he is a perfect fit for a role in the NFL.His upper body strength and length make him an ideal player vs the run and despite a slimmer frame than many DTs Hand is extremely stout vs combo blocks on the outside. One thing holding him back is going to be his ability to stay on the field on passing downs because he doesn't provide much besides containment and pocket shrinking on passing plays. For the Chiefs Hand would be a useful player to help secure the 5tech spot for running downs but would ultimately be limited to a rotational player as he'd be coming off the field for passing downs. Da'Shawn Hand seems well liked NFL coaches and he has a very secure and distinct spot in the NFL, unfortunately for him it's a spot a little less valued in today's game and will keep him on the board until late day 2/early day 3.

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I didn't tween out this Hand clip because it just wasn't that impressive visually but for football it's great. Hand fought across the OT's body, got half body free to the outside to eliminate the wide running lane, then squatted to close the gap behind him to the RB couldn't get wide behind the block. Textbook 5tech play.

Rasheem Green: 5-Tech USC

6'4" 275lbs

Round 4

Good build and length, has room for plenty of weight, solid with hand fighting technique, keeps chest clean most plays, good hand/grip strength to move blockers and disengage, effort pass rusher, high motor, pushes a pocket well, plays with good pad level most of the time, sits well to anchor is position, shows exceptional strength when hands are placed right

Looks slow, not much explosion anywhere on the field, linear athlete, needs to add some more size to his lower half, not many pass rush moves, lacks body control, takes poor angles at contact point allowing him to easily get washed, overall instincts/awareness are very low, doesn't show any cornering ability outside

Final Word: Rasheem Green has a great frame with plenty of room to fill it out and is quite raw in his movement and tool belt making him one of the prime candidates for the high end project picks in this draft. The issue with Green is that he isn't overly athletic which is really going to hinder what is seen as his high end floor; with limited burst and flexibility what exactly are teams hoping he develops into to warrant such hype. He has real good strength when he gets low and his hands are right and can definitely move some bodies along the LoS but there isn't much to work with as a pure pass rusher from a traits perspective. With the Chiefs Green would certainly be another 5-tech player like Allen Bailey, and in that same mold he's a stiffer player already that would need to add some weight to play at the position but could become very effective with his hands and his power against the run. The current hype around Green is a high end developmental player but the combine is going to showcase a lack of athleticism to warrant the high end project hype and push him down to a late Round 3 selection.


BJ Hill: 1/3-Tech NCST

6'3" 321lbs

Round 4

Quick first step, very big frame/body, quick hands,shoots into gaps, keeps eyes on the ball, keeps his chest clean, recognizes blocking scheme, defends down blocks/traps/and pull blocks well, can split double teams, great conditioning, good tackle radius, upper body flexibility to slide through gaps

Plays at his height, doesn't anchor vs double team very well, lacking upper and lower body strength, has trouble dropping his hips to anchor, balance is okay but easily knocked off his path from the side, doesn't shrink the pocket with power, has to disengage downfield rather than at the LoS

Final Word: BJ Hill is a nimble footed interior DL with a ton of size that plays the run and pass equally well. He shows a good first step with quick hands to disrupt through gaps and has a good knowledge of what the offensive blocking plan is and how to attack them. Hill does face some issues in his run defense as he isn't the most stout run defender for a guy playing on the inside of the DL. With the Chiefs BJ Hill would be a 3rd down, pass rushing role at NT or as a second 3-tech with Chris Jones. BJ Hill will impress teams with his combination of quickness and size leading to his ability as a pass rusher, this will result in Hill coming off the board early on Day 3.


Folorunso Fatukasi: 1/3/5-Tech UConn

6'4" 303lbs

Round 4

Plays with a great base vs the run, anchors vs double teams, beats double teams by splitting them or attacking one side, shows good lower body strength, flashed some good ball get off when asked to, plays with a good motor, keeps his eyes on the ball when engaged, has a good push-pull move to get free, can play all along a 34 front,

Gets dug out too easily by short/low OL, not much of a pass rusher if he doesn't win the gap immediately, would like to see a more violent punch, may be too long legged to be a full time NT, not sure about the athleticism to play 5tech and keep the edge vs speed

Final Word: Folorunso Fatukasi is bodied player that carries his weight pretty evenly throughout his upper and lower body which creates an interesting frame for the NFL. His height makes him play pretty high as a NT but moving like a NT, playing further from the center of the middle full time could cause limitations as well. That said, Fatukasi has a good first step when he lets loose and is extremely stout when facing double teams whether on the inside or the outside. For the Chiefs he'd fit well as he can play any of our DL positions but he may have to settle as being a good, long term back-up/rotational player across the entire line. Fatukasi looks to be entrenched as early to mid Day 3 pick, in the 5th round range.


My Grading Scale:

  • Early-1st: All Pro type player, or in the contention for making an All Pro team most years
  • Late-1st: Pro Bowl type player, or in the contention for making the Pro Bowl most years
  • Early-2nd: Above average starter, may make a pro bowl from time to time but not generally seen as a top tier player at their position like that
  • Late-2nd: Average starter, will have some good to great years but the majority of the time they will be more appreciated by their own team than outsiders
  • Early-3rd: Below average starter, good enough to consistently get starting jobs but teams often look to improve upon them (bargain deal starter)
  • Late-3rd: Rotational player, very good at 1 or 2 specific parts of football and either still developing or not good at most aspects of their position
  • 4th: Good back-up, not good enough to be the starter long term but can play in a pinch and hold serve for a while
  • 4th: Long-term development, very raw and not going to be ready until near the end of their rookie contract/multiple years
  • 5th: Back-up/Special Teams, not a player you want to step in for an injury but is capable of being more than just a warm body; plays well on special teams
  • 6th: Depth player, warm bodies that fill out a roster to eat up snaps
  • 7th: Long Shots, guys that probably won’t make a roster, often times off-field incidents or level of competition leaves too many questions
  • UDFA: See Long Shots with less upside

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Arrowhead Pride's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Arrowhead Pride writers or editors.