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 State LB Kalen DeLoach.
#4 KALEN DELOACH, LB, FLORIDA STATE – (R-SENIOR) 5114, 210 POUNDS
SHRINE BOWL INVITE
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Kalen DeLoach | 5114, 210 | 8 5/8″ | 31 1/2″ | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.47 | 1.59 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’11″ | 30.5″ | N/A |
THE GOOD
— Displays great play speed and burst for the position
— Closes to the football quickly in pursuit
— Can run sideline to sideline as a run defender as well as in coverage
— Twitchy defender that shoots gaps well as a blitzer
— Lived in the backfield this past season, padding the stat sheet
— Can fit through small gaps and wrap around the line to get home to the quarterback
— Plays speed makes him an ideal QB spy
— Can run with backs and tight ends in man coverage
— Does a good job bringing down ball carriers despite lack of size
— Can line up off-ball as well as in the slot in a hybrid dime backer role
— Play style and frame make him a quality special teams option
THE BAD
— Lacks ideal height, length, and size for the position
— Can get overwhelmed by size and strength when taking on blocks
— Will struggle to fight off blocks due to lack of length and play strength
— Tries to evade blockers, leading to poor angles of pursuit
— Doesn’t show much nuance as a pass rusher regarding hand usage
— Can get high at times as a tackler or look to strip the ball without securing the tackle
— Had several coverage busts on tape due to being slow to process what was in front of him
— May get relegated to a strong safety/ dime backer role as a part-time player
— Will turn 24 during his rookie season
BIO
— Redshirt Senior prospect from Savannah, GA
— Born November 28, 2000 (age 23)
— 2019 Under Armour All-America Game invite, four-star recruit according to Rivals
— Has a standout senior season at Islands High School, notching 156 tackles, 13.0 tackles for loss with 7.0 sacks and two interceptions, as well as 771 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns
— Also played basketball in high school
— Signed an NIL deal with  GJ Kicks to advertise basketball shoes
— Played in eight games in 2019 and had three tackles
— Played in all nine games in 2020 with one start and recorded seven tackles
— Started 11 of 12 games and finished the season with 69 tackles (38 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two pass deflections, and one interception
— Started all 13 games in 2022 and recorded 65 tackles (32 solo), 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and seven pass deflections
— Started 13 games in 2023 and had 68 total tackles (33 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, two pass deflections, and one interception
— First-team All-ACC (2023)
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Kalen DeLoach has been a highly-touted player since high school, starring in the state of Georgia, but decided to cross the border and commit to the Florida State Seminoles. After spending his first couple of seasons on the bench, DeLoach became a full-time player for the Seminoles, budding into a star in his final season, where he flashed his athleticism and playmaking ability as a First Team All-ACC selection and the team’s defensive MVP on a roster that also featured EDGE Jared Verse and DL Braden Fiske from this draft class.
When you pop in the tap on DeLoach, you see his speed and acceleration to the football jump off the screen. He does a great job closing to the football, as you can see in the clips below against Boston College. He has the speed and movement skills to wrap around the line of scrimmage and shoot gaps as a blitzer, making plays in the backfield both as a run defender and in pursuit of the quarterback.
DeLoach’s speed makes him a great candidate to spy the quarterback in the middle of the field if the quarterback is a dual threat who poses a real threat with his legs. Watch this rep from 2022 against LSU QB Jayden Daniels, who is an athletic player in his own right, attempting to get outside the pocket. DeLoach disengages from his block and runs down Daniels toward the sideline, forcing him to throw the football away as DeLoach nearly gets the sack.
When it comes to blitzing as a pass rusher, DeLoach is extremely effective in that regard. He closes on the football quickly and can deliver punishing hits when he gets a full head of steam. You see that here in the clip below against Clemson where DeLoach gets a running start from the slot, shooting through the wide gap into the pocket where he blows up the quarterback, jarring the football free while putting his helmet on the ball. He ends up scooping up the forced fumble and takes it the distance for the defensive touchdown.
DeLoach is an aggressive player with the size to shoot through gaps and make plays on the football. He is also a capable tackler who looks to wrap up his opponent, like in the clip below against Duke. In it, he takes on the block by the offensive lineman as he works across his face to make the tackle on the back near the line of scrimmage, holding the back to a minimal gain on the play as the rest of the defense rallies to escort the runner back.
Still, DeLoach’s lack of ideal size can be troubling as he can get overwhelmed by bigger blockers, getting engulfed and neutralized on plays where the blocker gets on top of him as DeLoach lacks the length to fight off the block, as you can see in the first clip below. This causes DeLoach to attempt to run around blocks in an attempt to evade blockers, but this can throw off his path of pursuit to the ball. As you can see in the second clip, DeLoach tries to loop around the blockers, being a step behind from catching the running back, who gets into the second level and picks up the first down.
Regarding coverage ability, DeLoach has the speed and athleticism to run with backs and tight ends in man coverage, but several coverage busts litter his tape due to slow processing. He needs to diagnose plays faster with his eyes and react quicker to what he sees in coverage, like in the clips below. DeLoach is a step behind in coverage on several occasions, being in a position in zone coverage to make a play, but he needs to be quicker to trigger on the ball to contest the pass.
CONCLUSION
Kalen DeLoach is an athletic, undersized linebacker who plays his best football unblocked and allowed to run freely to the ball. He struggles to fight off blocks, and his size can be a real issue at the next level, making teams likely to consider him a sub-package/role player. Still, his play speed and prowess as a blitzer could help him see the field in a niche role to start his career as he earns a roster spot on special teams, hoping that he can have his strengths mask his physical and mental deficiencies to become more of a starting-caliber player.
When coming up with a pro comparison for DeLoach, Vosean Joseph came to mind as another undersized yet highly productive player coming out of Florida a few years ago. Joseph was also an effective blitzer who made plenty of plays in the backfield but lacked the consistent instincts as well as the ideal size to combat blockers. Joseph went in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft and was slightly larger than DeLoach but wasn’t as athletic, which is a feather in DeLoach’s cap. Pittsburgh could use an athletic off-ball linebacker that can help generate splash plays and contribute on special teams, and DeLoach could be a good target late in the draft or as an UDFA.
Projection:Â Late Day 3/UDFA
Depot Draft Grade: 6.5 End of Roster/Practice Squad (Sixth Round)
Games Watched: vs Duke (2023), at Boston College (2023), at Clemson (2023)
