*Walt taking 2014 and 2018 |
Charlie Campbell, Senior Draft Analyst |
Teams See Kenyon Green Between Rounds 1 and 2 of 2022 NFL Draft
Updated Nov. 5, 2021By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.
Like safety and running back, guard is one of the positions that gets downgraded in the NFL drafts. In many years, however, a guard sneaks into the late first round where playoff teams with good overall rosters are looking for a potential plug-and-play starter to help their offensive line. Texas A&M guard Kenyon Green could be that type of prospect for the 2022 NFL Draft. Sources at multiple teams shared with WalterFootball.com that they see Green as having late first-round or early second-round potential in the 2022 NFL Draft.
“I think Green goes late first, early second,” said an area scout. “He’s a guard in the NFL. Has good size at 6-foot-3-and-half, good length, can get overextended at times, but solid overall football player.
Injuries have forced the Aggies to play Green at left tackle somewhat this season, and that is helping Green to show NFL teams that he could have that emergency ability. Multiple area scouts don’t believe Green can play tackle in the NFL, but they do think he is a good fit for both right or left guard.
Another area scout put their opinion of Green thusly:
- “Like him, but don’t love him,” “I see a NFL starter. Personally, for a first-round guard I gotta to see more than just consistent – I gotta get dominant and special from the player. I’m not sure he’s better than Cody Ford coming out, and I mean that in a good way. Just the position value because I can get a good to very good starter third/mid-rounds historically, and they don’t get much more talented than Jahri Evans, Carl Nicks, Brandon Brooks.
“Historically, you can get just as good a player there in that range, so for me to take one that early, it’s got to be a major need and player who undoubtedly checks all the boxes and will take us over the hump. I need freaky big, explosive, violent, definitely scheme versatile and dominate the point of attack . I liked Elgton Jenkins much better coming out – better athlete, started at all five positions in college, better finisher, could plug in at any spot as a pro (which he’s done). Green is versatile, but the tackle flex is only dire need emergency for me.
“He’s got the Chance Warmack thing going right now where I think he gets overdrafted. You always end up regretting taking a consistent, solid position who doesn’t change games, good or bad, over that inconsistent but freak show DL, WR, TE, or OT who can change a game if your culture is good. Most of these guys with “issues” in college, when you ask your road buddies on those teams how they’re doing, they may be going thru rookie things, but the league is a man’s league and tends to whip them into shape once the vets get ahold of them, so that DE who liked to party too much, if he’s not a bad kid, and his talent is potentially special or can change your rush deployment, I’m taking him over the solid guy who, even if he’s very productive, doesn’t impact the play outcome near as often.
