2022 NFL Draft Player Profiles: Texas A&M OL Kenyon Green

From now until the 2022 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, I’ll be profiling a highly-touted offensive linemen that has the athletic traits and pedigree that may entice the Pittsburgh Steelers on Day One of the 2022 NFL Draft.

#55 Kenyon Green, OL, Texas A&M (Junior) – 6037, 323lb

Measurements

Combine Invite:

The Good

— Has impressive straight-line speed and explosiveness for the position
— Thick, dense build with good weight distribution throughout his frame
— Plays with good bend and flexibility in his stance
— Maintains low pad level on contact, playing with great anchor and leverage
— Can be difficult to move off of his spot when anchoring in against power rushers
— Explosive out of his stance in the run game
—Has a strong first punch with good hand placement inside the opponent’s torso
—More than capable of climbing to the second level of the defense in the run game
— Can get out in front as an effective puller from the guard spot and also on screen plays
— Has nasty intentions as a run blocker, looking to put his competition into the ground
— Has the footwork to mirror defenders side-to-side in pass protection
— Didn’t allow a sack his sophomore season on 327 pass blocking snaps
— Able to recognize counter moves on the pass rush and recover
— Does a good job picking up stunts and twists with the C/OT, passing one defender off to pick up another
— Always looking for work when not engaged, looking to aid his teammates in pass protection
— Has starting experience at LG and RG
— Has experience playing OT in high school and may be making to move outside this fall

The Bad

— Occasionally gets too aggressive on his blocks and lunges forward, resulting in whiffed attempts
— Will drop his head on some of his block attempts leading to missed block attempts while looking for the knockdown hit
— Quick change of direction skills can be compromised when asked to work farther downfield
— Blocking angles can improve to create better seals in the run game and in pass protection
— Can struggle with pure speed off the edge when tasked with pass protection at the tackle spot

Bio

— Junior Prospect from Humble, TX
— Voted a team captain in 2021
— Started his high school career playing defensive line, but transitioned to OT
— Five-star prospect, the third-best offensive tackle in the country, and the No. 1 player in Texas in 2019 recruiting class
— Was an Under Armor All-American & Army All-American in high school
— Father, Henry, was a guard at Grambling State, mother played volleyball at UCLA
— Started all 13 games as a true freshman in 2019
— Earned the Offensive Top Newcomer Award for Texas A&M after his freshman season
— Started all ten games at left guard, logging 691 offensive snaps in 2020 as a sophomore
— Part of an OL unit that was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award
— 12 starts in 2021; seven at LG, two at RT, two at RG and one at LT
— All-Academic Award winner
— 2019 SEC All-Freshman Team, 2020 All-SEC Second Team, 2020 AP All-America Second Team, 2021 AP All-America First Team, 2021 All-SEC First Team

Tape Breakdown

Kenyon Green from Texas A&M was a highly-touted recruit coming out of high school and elected to say at home in the state of Texas to play for the Aggies. Green made an impact upfront for Texas A&M from the get-go, starting 13 games and was recognized by his coaches and teammates as the best offensive freshman of the year. He followed up a successful 2019 campaign with an even more impactful 2020 season, starting ten games at LG and paving the way for a potent Aggies’ rushing attack. When watching Green on tape, it’s easy to understand why he is such an effective blocker in the run game. The guy is stout and dense, standing 6’4, 325lb and boasts a well-built frame. He generates great power at the point of attack and will regularly but defenders on their backs like we see in this clip against Alabama where Green pulls from the LG spot to pick up the DE, adjusting his hands inside and driving his feet on contact to bury the defender into the ground.

For being a large human being, Green is surprisingly nimble on his feet for a man his size. He is quick out of his stance and has great footwork, operating well when asked to pull. Here in the same game, we see Green pull to the right again, picking up the same DE crashing down and gets his shoulders turned to create a natural seal for #28 Isaiah Spiller to run off his back on the counter.

Green also does a great job working up to the second level of the defense, showing an awareness to chip/combo off to the backer with the tackle as he climbs to pick up the defender to help create an explosive run. Here we see Green combo with #65 Dan Moore Jr. from the 4-I technique to the linebacker, getting a good push on #94 D.J. Dale as he moves up to the second level of the defense. Now Green does get a little extended forward trying to pick up the backer who tries to counter outside, but Green manages to maintain his grip and kick him out of the play.

Here is another example from this season against LSU where Green meets LB #18 Damone Clark in the gap, latching on and taking him for a ride down the field away from the play.

While Green is known for being an impactful run blocker, he also is a skilled pass protector. He didn’t surrender a sack in the 2020 season and has the footwork and strength in his punch to neutralize nearly any rusher on the inside. Green’s physical ability and injuries this season forced him outside on several occasions this season, having him play both tackle spots in 2021. Here is an example from this season against Arkansas where Green lines up at LT and neutralizes the rush, playing with a wide base, a strong punch inside, and smooth footwork working laterally against the rush.

He plays with good hip bend in his stance, sitting low to the ground and can shuffle quickly side-to-side in pass protection. Here is rep against LSU from this season where he engages the big defensive tackle for the Tigers, shooting his arm through the defender’s chest and stales his rush and setting his anchor after initially giving some ground to neutralize the rush inside and give the QB time to locate his target for the pass completion.

Here’s an example vs the Crimson Tide last season where Green shows his awareness n pass protection, effectively passing  off his man to the center and picks up the defender coming around the back, pushing up out of the play.

There are times, however, where Green fails to execute in pass protection due to not having his footwork and hand placement in-sync. For instance, later in the same game against LSU, we see Green stall his feet and reach forward on his punch, getting his hands swiped down by the defender who runs right past him into the pocket. Luckily, the QB completes the pass falling backward for the score, but Green needs to use his feet here to better protect the passer from pressure.

While Green has shown the ability to play out at tackle at the next level, his lack of suddenness and exposure to a vertical pass set make him a better fit at guard at the next level. There were several times on Green’s tape where he struggled with pure speed off the edge like this play against Arkansas where #55 Tre Williams has a great get off on the snap, getting to Green’s outside shoulder and bends the corner for the QB hit.

While Green is a “dancing bear” of sorts, having impressive athletic ability at 325lb, he can struggle consistently picking up blocks in space at the second level. For instance, Green is asked to pick up the linebacker here on the screen pass and gets up field, properly squaring up the defender. However, Green drops his head and lunges forward on the block attempt, whiffing on the block as the defender rallies to the football.

Conclusion

While Green has shown impressive position versatility, playing and starting at all spots along the offensive line for the Aggies at College Station besides center, I do think his calling card in the league will be as a high-caliber guard. After watching more of Green’s tape, I compare him to another position versatile player in Green Bay’s Elgton Jenkins who played center at Mississippi State, but has found a home at guard for the Packers and has even held his own at tackle due to injuries. Both players have good movement skills for interior players (although Green is thicker than Jenkins), being able to excel in the run game and hold up in pass protection both inside and out at tackle.

Overall, Kenyon Green is an athletic, physical blocker in the run game that can impose his will on defenders yet has the technical skills and mental capability to do well in pass protection. He can work on watching his forward lean and syncing up his hands and feet to avoid whiffed blocks, but he is about as solid as they come for a prospect that has moments of dominance inside as well as good tape outside.

Given the dire need for Pittsburgh to improve the offensive line and the potential losses of G Trai Tuner and T Chukwuma Okorafor this season, Green would be a great long-term solution upfront providing a talented position-versatile option that can be a big bonus should the team need to shuffle things based on personnel brought in this offseason or an in-game injury. Green could warrant consideration to play at tackle to start his NFL career, but his best fit would be to leave him inside with Kevin Dotson on the other side where he has Pro-Bowl potential as a guard, hopefully forming a young, nasty duo for years to come.

Projection: Mid-Day One

Depot Draft Grade: 8.8 – Year One Quality Starter

Games Watched: at Alabama (2020), at LSU (2021), vs Arkansas (2021), vs Alabama (2021)