With Pick#150 GB Selects Kingsley Keke DE Texas A&M

Mark87

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• Established starter at defensive tackle for the Aggies having started 21 consecutive games up front.
• Run stuffer that has racked up 99 career tackles and 11.0 tackles-for-loss.

2018 (SENIOR): Started all 12 games and was second on the team with 6.0 sacks and TFL with 10.0 … third on the team with four QB hurries … made two tackles for a loss, one of which was a sack, and registered five total tackles against ULM … recorded 1.5 sacks for a total of five yards and four total tackles against Arkansas … registered five tackles, four solo tackles and two sacks for a total of 10 yards against No. 13 Kentucky … compiled four tackles, a sack for a six-yard loss and two quarterback hurries against Auburn … documented his first career forced fumble against Ole Miss … accumulated six tackles and a broke up a pass against No. 8 LSU … given the Mr. Versatile Award as well as the Strength and Conditioning Defensive Aggie Award at the team’s annual banquet.


2017 (JUNIOR): Appeared in all 13 games ... one of the three Aggies on defense to start every game ... recorded 54 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack as a mainstay on the defensive front … recovered a fumble at UCLA and against South Carolina … set a new career high with eight tackles at Florida … closed out the regular season with six tackles at LSU … made five tackles against Auburn and Ole Miss … notched six tackles versus Arkansas … broke up two passes ... ended his season with a career-high nine tackle performance against Wake Forest including two fourth-quarter goal line tackles.

2016 (SOPHOMORE): Produced 37 tackles, including 4.0 QB sacks and 7.0 tackles for loss, while seeing action in all 13 games ... earned the starting job early in the season and started the final nine games of the season ... had a season-high eight tackles in the bowl game against Kansas State ... had a season-high 2.0 TFLs against Alabama and New Mexico ... also batted down four opponent aerials ... his four QB sacks ranked No. 4 on the team.
2015 (FRESHMAN): Contributed eight tackles, including sharing a tackle for loss, while seeing action in every game at defensive tackle ... had a season-high two stops against Arkansas.

HIGH SCHOOL: Coached by Ricky Tullos at George Ranch High School in Richmond, Texas ... as a senior at George Ranch, Keke was a finalist for the Greater Houston Rotary Lombardi Award after making 60 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and five sacks ... also blocked a pair of kicks ... also earned all-state honors ... for his high school career, Keke made 158 tackles, 39 TFL, 19 sacks, 53 QB pressures and five forced fumbles ... a four-star prospect by ESPN, Keke chose Texas A&M over Florida, Oklahoma and Texas.
 
Strengths
  • Dropped 20 pounds and showed ability to transition from tackle to end
  • Fluid, impressive athlete for a big man
  • Can play light on his feet to mirror and pursue change of direction
  • Upper-body power to punch and press tackles off of him
  • Adequate balance and body control through contact
  • Strength to reduce inside and manage against power
  • Springy lateral quickness to disengage and make sudden tackles near his gaps
  • Flashes some explosiveness and stride length out of stance as upfield as a rusher
  • Shows adequate dip to sink under and trim the edges
  • Unleashes basketball euro-step as interior rusher to throw guards off-balance and open his edge
  • Quick to recognize and close out screen passes.
Weaknesses
  • Needs to supplement upper-body power with stronger base
  • Legs lack some proportion and girth
  • Needs more urgency to attack and shed blocks
  • Inconsistent charge as upfield rusher
  • Full potential as rusher not always on display
  • Defaults to bull-rush strategy despite his athletic qualities
  • Uses basic swipe that fails to punish blocker's initial punch
  • Hands are too passive and could benefit from more violence and quickness
 
I assume this was a BPA pick on their board but I see neither the scheme fit nor a path to the 53 for him.
 
Not sure about the fit because his weight is reported as 288# for the combine, but other places list him at 305#. If 305# is what he played at then he's not much different than Mike Daniels except he's a couple inches taller.

He was a 5th round guy on a lot of boards so I don't see this as a reach. As for being a project, well ya pretty much every 5th rounder is. He might flop, but it's not like he was some UDFA candidate they wasted a draft pick on. That said, it seemed like a great place to grab Thorson.
 
I watched some youtube on him just a few minutes ago.

Looks like a good two gap guy. He doesn't get off quick but does take up space and penetrates. He doesn't appear to be a natural shedder. It might the scheme which we use him for here. Not flashy, and doesn't get a quick jump, more reactionary and again probably by design of the defense. Really good measurably as a big man. 4 star recruit who played all four years and contributed.

Dline guys take a beating, and it should be good to have another next man up fellow. He's 22, and committed to losing 25#s his senior year to be more effective.
 
57packer said:
Not sure about the fit because his weight is reported as 288# for the combine, but other places list him at 305#. If 305# is what he played at then he's not much different than Mike Daniels except he's a couple inches taller.
Click to expand...

the 305# is outdated info. he dropped 20# before the 2018 season because they were moving him from tackle to end. when he dropped the weight and moved to end, he had his breakout season, racking up 6 sacks and 10 tfls.
 
At #150, a guy who can end up being productive isn't a given. You can get clunkers, stars, but more often, journeymen who can plug holes in an emergency. From what I've seen and read, I'm tipping the scales towards this being a good pick. The guy wants to make it, and has shown all the right things in college to get there.

Often, guys like this are late bloomers. They start hitting stride their last two years of college, then make an enormous gain across their first two years in the NFL, if they stick. Looking for a measure, I'd say Aaron Kampman coming in. Not the same talent but a comparison for growth. He started to bloom in college, took two years to build into the NFL game, and in year 3 he busted loose and was a dynamic player. It takes time with some, and Keke just might be that kind of guy. In 3 years, we could be singing his praises.

If you're looking for someone else, more current, as a rise in skills, look at Bakhtiari. His first two years most people thought he should be sent packing. In year 3, it's like someone flipped a switch, and there it was, all of it, and he's owned LT since then.
 
As a fifth round pick you are looking at a depth guy. He seems versatile so it's good value. See what he has and maybe in a few years he's a rotational player.
 
Dean Lowry was picked #137.
6/6/296 and ran 4.87.
Keke is slightly smaller and slower than Lowry, just for comparison purposes. Does possess longer arms than Lowry, which can be an advantage.
He’s likely a versatile journeyman type pick, but you could do worse at #150.
You need roll players to go along with the stars
 
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