2022 NFL Draft prospect profile – Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon

It wasn’t all that way back that Oregon EDGE was one of many two or three gamers broadly thought-about to be in rivalry for the primary general decide.

Thibodeaux was the highest recruit within the nation when he dedicated to Oregon, and his skill merely leapt off the sector. Thibodeaux has all of the instruments a defensive coordinator may need with velocity, agility, approach, soccer IQ, and sufficient energy. Thibodeaux was in a position to take over video games on the collegiate degree and has the potential to be an instantaneous impression participant within the NFL.

So why has he grow to be a polarizing participant who’s sliding down some draft boards?

Nicely, he had a little bit of a disappointing 2021 season. Thibodeaux missed three video games after having his ankle rolled up on by one other participant within the season opener. He by no means actually discovered his stride the remainder of the season, flashing brightly at occasions, however not persistently.

He’s additionally a really frank and easy one that isn’t afraid to say what’s on his thoughts. That merely rubs some individuals the improper method, and lots of “Soccer Guys” would actually fairly that gamers be seen and never heard.

How do the New York Giants come down on Thibodeaux? He would definitely improve their cross rush, and his versatility might be put to nice use by Wink Martindale.

Prospect: Kayvon Thibodeaux (5)
Video games Watched: vs. California (2021), vs. UCLA (2021), vs. Washington (2021), vs. Washington State (2021)
Crimson Flags: Ankle (2021)

Measurables

Profession Stats

Video games Performed: 30

Tackles: 126
Tackles For a loss: 35.5
Sacks: 19.0
Compelled Fumbles: 3
Passes Defensed: 7

2021 Stats

Video games Performed: 10

Tackles: 49
Tackles For a loss: 12.0
Sacks: 7.0
Compelled Fumbles: 2
Passes Defensed: 1

Fast Abstract

Finest: Explosiveness, athleticism, get-off, approach, cross rush, run protection, versatility, soccer IQ
Worst: Size, inconsistent ankle flexibility
Projection: A beginning EDGE with scheme versatility and Professional Bowl upside.

Recreation Tape

Full Report

Oregon EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux has a fantastic mixture of dimension, explosiveness, athleticism, versatility, and soccer IQ to play the place on the NFL degree.

Thibodeaux lined up throughout the Oregon defensive formation. He rushed from each the left and proper edges, as a stand-up rusher and a down defensive lineman, he lowered inside and rushed as a defensive deal with, and even rushed from an inside linebacker place from time to time.

Thibodeaux has a versatile decrease physique, permitting him to settle right into a compact stance and fireplace off the snap with nice pad degree. Thibodeaux is a flexible cross rusher with the flexibility to win with pure velocity, approach, and with energy off the sting. He has an impressively explosive first step which is able to stressing virtually any offensive deal with he strains up in opposition to. He is ready to use his first step to win shortly across the edge or arrange a fast inside transfer. Thibodeaux additionally brings a very good array of cross rush strikes, together with membership, rip, swipe, and long-arm strikes.

He additionally has the flexibility to uncoil his hips, switch his preliminary velocity to energy, and stroll blockers who overcompensate for his velocity into the backfield. Thibodeaux has sufficient play energy to be an efficient bullrusher with good leverage. He usually does a very good job of gaining inside leverage and bench urgent offensive tackles to create separation. He additionally does a very good job of utilizing his palms and contorting his higher physique to “get skinny” and cut up double-teams.

Thibodeaux is a brilliant, savvy rusher who reveals proof of a particular cross rush plan, mixing his velocity and energy over the course of a recreation. Likewise, he normally appears to come back to the road of scrimmage with a major and counter-move ready.

He’s a succesful run defender on the sting and makes use of his leverage, play energy, and approach to set a agency edge. Thibodeaux reveals good aggressive toughness in pursuit of the play and prepared to combat by means of a number of blockers. He has good consciousness of the play, taking sensible angles to the ball when scraping excessive, and is mostly disciplined in enjoying his project.

Thibodeaux has sufficient athleticism to drop into shallow zone protection from time to time. He will get good depth comparatively shortly and is able to operating with tight ends within the flats. He reveals strong consciousness and motion expertise in area, making protection drops a viable possibility for disguising zone blitzes.

Whereas Thibodeaux is under no circumstances undersized, he does lack superb measurables. At 6-foot-4 and with 33-inch arms, Thibodeaux doesn’t fairly have prototypical size for the NFL. That isn’t a lot of a difficulty on tape, but it surely may give pause to groups with strict measurable thresholds.

There may be additionally some slight concern relating to Thibodeaux’s ankle flexibility. He sometimes runs on his toes on the prime of his arc, limiting his contact with the bottom. Thibodeaux can sometimes have his ft exit from beneath him when turning notably tight corners. Groups will need to do their due diligence to see if his early-season ankle harm had any impression on his lower-body fluidity.

Total Grade: 9.1

Projection

Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux tasks as a beginning EDGE with scheme versatility on the NFL degree.

Thibodeaux ought to be capable of line up as a 4-3 defensive finish, an outdoor linebacker in a 3-4 entrance, or do some little bit of all the things for a “a number of” protection. He’s a dependable and disciplined run defender and has the potential to be a dominant cross rusher from nearly any alignment or stance.

Thibodeaux would seemingly be at his finest in an aggressive protection that may let him assault on each play, and make full use of his skill to maneuver across the defensive entrance. Not solely is Thibodeaux a harmful cross rusher, however he may also assist disguise unique blitz packages by successfully dropping into protection. He’s able to legitimately taking up video games when he absolutely unleashes his explosive first step and makes use of that to arrange the remainder of his recreation – he might be virtually unblockable in apparent passing conditions.

Thibodeaux seems to be a wise, savvy cross rusher, who already is aware of learn how to rush with a plan and play off of linemen’s expectations. That soccer IQ ought to enable him to choose up an NFL protection shortly and he ought to be capable of produce shortly.

Groups will need to do their due diligence to ensure Thibodeaux doesn’t have any lingering points from the ankle harm which value him time at first of the 2021 season. If Thibodeaux checks out medically, he has Professional Bowl upside in the proper state of affairs.