2020 NFL Draft: South Carolina DT Javon Kinlaw scouting report

Scouting one of the top defensive players in the 2020 NFL draft class, South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.

With Senior Bowl week here, I wanted to start my week off by taking a deeper look at one of the best players in Mobile this week. Javon Kinlaw is an incredibly talented player who has a bright future at the next level. He will likely show out in a big way at Mobile this week and should be able to improve his already strong 2020 NFL Draft stock.

Kinlaw is a true force on the inside who has already impressed scouts on the ground at Mobile with his opening day presser. He appears to be an extremely high-character player who is going to consistently impress in meetings throughout the 2020 NFL draft process. However, his on-field ability will ultimately determine how high he ends up going. Let’s take a look at his game.

Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 310 pounds
2019 stats: 35 total tackles, six tackles for loss, six sacks, two passes defended and two fumble recoveries

While his numbers do make him particularly stand out, Kinlaw is an extremely impactful defensive tackle prospect who has a bright future at the next level. He transferred to South Carolina after a year in JUCO and was a three-year starter for the Gamecocks. Kinlaw really burst onto the scene in 2019 when he was named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press and a first-team All-SEC defensive lineman by the league’s coaches.

Kinlaw’s first-step explosiveness immediately stands out on tape. He has a knack for timing the snap well and consistently gets off of the ball and out of his stance quickly. Kinlaw is also extremely powerful at the point of attack and shows very good hand strength on the inside. He routinely pops the offensive lineman and resets the line of scrimmage on contact most of the time.

Kinlaw is a true scheme versatile player who can make an impact no matter what he is asked to do. You want him to line up as a three-tech and create pressure as a one-gap penetrator? No problem, Kinlaw’s explosive first step and impressive upfield burst allow him to have success in that area. Do you need a guy to hold his ground and two-gap? Also not an issue. Kinlaw is an extremely long and strong player who will hold his ground and react well to the play.

While he shows explosive get-off and great quickness for a man of his size, Kinlaw is a pure power rusher who loves to get inside of an offensive lineman and drive him back on the bull rush. He consistently crashes the middle of the pocket, making life extremely difficult on the opposing quarterback. I would not say that Kinlaw has an advanced pass-rush repertoire, but he does show some solid hand fighting skills.

The only major issue that shows up on tape with Kinlaw is his pad level. I would not say his pad level is bad, but he does tend to stand straight up at the snap at times and this takes away all of his power. This issue particularly stands out against combo blocks.

Overall, Kinlaw is an extremely big and powerful defensive tackle prospect who also shows an impressive combination of explosive athleticism and quickness. He is a smart and high motor player who can come in and make an immediate impact in any defensive scheme.

Kinlaw is a clear first-round prospect who will likely go in the first 15 picks of the 2020 NFL Draft. If he really explodes at the Senior Bowl and the combine, a top 10 selection is not out of the question.