2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Florida C Kingsley Eguakun

From now until the 2023 NFL Draft, we will 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, a scouting report on Florida C Kingsley Eguakun.

#65 KINGSLEY EGUAKUN– (R-SENIOR) 6034, 304 POUNDS

SENIOR BOWL INVITE

MEASUREMENTS

THE GOOD

— Has good bulk and density on his stout frame
— Plays with a wide base and good leverage as a blocker
— Does a good job driving out of his stance as a run-blocker
— Has an aggressive demeanor in the run game as he plays through the whistle
— Plays with a bit of nastiness, looking to take his opponents to the ground
— Runs his feet well on contact as he works to drive back his opponent
— Has a strong punch as he works to get his fits inside the defender’s chest
— Can reach block and pull from the center spot
— Constantly scanning the field looking for work
— Capable of making blocks on the move and at the second level
— Three-year starter at center, bringing leadership and experience to the table

THE BAD

— Lacks great lateral quickness working side-to-side in pass protection
— Will get uprooted at times and pushed back by bigger pass rushers
— Squatty body still gives ground to power rushers bigger than him
— Gives a lot of effort in the run game but isn’t the most powerful blocker
— Will lunge forward and lean into blocks, leading to balance issues
— Needs to do a better job fighting pass rushers who have high-end hand usage

BIO

— Redshirt Senior prospect from Jacksonville, FL
— Age 23
— Three-star recruit according to Rivals
— Great-grandmother has a part of UF’s George A. Smathers Libraries named after her
— Spent time at Florida volunteering at the local YMCA, the Ronald McDonald House, and Littlewood Elementary, presenting to classes, serving food, and giving swimming lessons 
— Appeared in two games as a reserve offensive lineman in 2019 and redshirted
— Appeared in all 12 games of 2020 as a reserve
— Started in all 13 games at center in 2021
—Started in all 13 games at center in 2022
— Made four starts at center in 2023 while missing much of the season with a right ankle injury
— Four-time SEC Fall Academic Honor Role (2020-23)
— Earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminology & Master’s in Tourism & Hospitality Management

TAPE BREAKDOWN

Kingsley Eguakun has had the makings of a leader on the offensive line since he came out of high school, seeing time at both center and guard as a prep athlete. He spent his first two seasons at Florida as a reserve before cracking the starting lineup at the pivot, starting 30 games there during his time in the swamp. During that time, Eguakun became known as a leader both on and off the field for the Gators, being recognized as one of the team captains as well as leading multiple service projects to help out children in the local Gainesville community.

When you pop in the tape on Eguakun, you see a player who has the mental acumen for the center position. He does a great job calling out his checks prior to the snap and also snaps the ball well from the shotgun as well as under center. From a play perspective, Eguakun plays with great tenacity and effort, latching onto his fits and straining to maintain the block to and through the whistle. He plays with a fair amount of nastiness, as you can see in the clips below, looking to put his opposition on the turf as he does in the first clip against Georgia, as well as after a competitive rep at the Senior Bowl practices.

Eguakun is a competitor who fights for positioning on his blocks and runs his feet well on contact as a run blocker. Watch this explosive run. Eguakun helps open the middle as he and the guard double the blitzing linebacker, running the defender 10+ yards down the field after the guard detaches from the block as the runner gets into open grass along the sideline. He blocks well past the point where the ball carrier had enough room to evade the defender Eguakun was blocking.

Eguakun is a strong run blocker who understands angles and how to use his opponent’s momentum against them when leveraging blocks to create a running lane. He can wrestle defenders to the ground, as you see in a couple of the clips below against Utah, taking the defender and tossing them to the ground to finish with the menacing pancake for good measure. He also does a good job using his stocky body to drive defenders off their spot in close quarters, as you see in the second clip against LSU, knocking them back with a big shot in the first play while properly down-blocking the defensive lineman in the second play to clear him out of the way near the goal line.

Eguakun works hard to get good positioning on his blocks and is a good mover for his size, being able to pull out in space from the center spot as well as make reach blocks, as you see on the play below against the Bulldogs, reaching the defensive lineman as the right guard works up to the linebacker, getting across his face and twists him down to the ground as the runner approaches the line of scrimmage getting the back into the second level where he can pick up the first down.

When it comes to pass protection, Eguakun does a good job hand-fighting with his opponents while keeping his head on a swivel, always looking for work. Watch the clips below against the Tigers, where Eguakun shows independent hands, hitting and replacing to combat the opponent’s pass rush while mirroring him side to side to keep him from getting inside the pocket. In the second clip, we see Eguakun quickly process the twist upfront, helping the guard with the blitzing linebacker while passing him off to get the twisting defensive lineman, keeping him from penetrating the pocket.

Still, Eguakun has a lot of development to do when it comes to being a consistent pass protector. He needs to better defeat pass rushers who use their hands well and keep them from knocking his hands down, as well as work on his leverage issues as he possesses a squatty body but can get uprooted and pushed back by bigger, more powerful nose tackles. Watch the clip below as Eguakun does a good job extending his hands early to keep the big defensive tackle away from his frame, but the defender manages to get his hand inside Eguakun’s chest and drives him back into the pocket, forcing the quarterback to throw the ball away as he nearly deflects it in the air.

CONCLUSION

Kingsley Eguakun is a thickly built blocker who does well in the running game, having the tenacity to make blocks thanks to his effort and drive on a play-to-play basis. He lacks high-end athletic traits like power and quickness to handle powerful defensive linemen, making the pro game a bit of a projection as to how he will hold up. Still, Eguakun has the acumen as a team leader and has made the most of his opportunities despite his limitations, and he should be able to serve as a backup interior offensive lineman as a rookie with the chance to work his way into at starting lineup with time.

When coming up with a pro comparison for Eguakun, Ted Karras of the Cincinnati Bengals came to mind as Karras was a former sixth-round pick who shares near identical measurables to Eguakun, being a slightly undersized center coming out of Illinois that lacked top-end athleticism. Still, Karras found his way into the starting lineup with the Patriots at center and guard, seeing starting time also with the Dolphins and Bengals as he developed into a low-ceiling/high-floor starter in the league.

I can foresee Eguakun having a similar path in the pros as a likely Day Three selection. The Steelers have reportedly shown a lot of attention to Eguakun in the pre-draft process, being a player they could take should they not walk away with one of the top centers in the draft class. It wouldn’t be the home run pick fans are wanting given Pittsburgh’s woes at center the last few years, but Eguakun matches the hearts and smarts that they look for and could help fill a need should they not land a player like Oregon’s Jackson Power-Johnson early in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Projection: Mid-To-Late Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.0 – Backup/Special Teamer (Fifth Round)
Games Watched: vs Georgia (2023), vs Utah (2022), vs LSU (2022)