STRENGTHS
Khalen reminds me a little bit of former Buccaneers Warren Sapp. He is very athletic for his size with good foot speed and excellent quickness to defeat his opponent off the line of scrimmage. He is a one gap attack defensive lineman who can be very disruptive, getting into the back field quickly causing havoc sacking QB’s making tackles for losses and disrupting the rhythm of a play. If Khalen is put on the nose on passing downs he is like a hunting dog, taking a pose in a three-point stance waiting for the snap of the ball to flush out his prey. That’s his strength, he’s a hunter and it’s extremely difficult to stop him from getting into the back field and affecting the play. Khalen has the athleticism to be moved around on the defensive line and he has the potential to play in any style front as long as he keeps improving and is in the right system for his athletic talents.
CONCERNS
Khalen does struggle against the run. On running downs, he can be handled one on one. When he is double teamed he gets up too high and doesn’t shed blocks quick enough to make tackles. In his defense he does a solid job at the college level of handling his responsibilities against the run but at the next level he needs to get stronger and use better techniques to be used in a two-gap system and this will affect his draft status.
TALENT BOARD ROUND 2.67
Khalen has tremendous potential to play in any style of defensive front and be effective but he will always be more impacting in a one gap attack system, because that’s what he loves to do… get into the back field and disrupt. He gets bored just taking up space and letting others make plays. He wants to make the play himself and he does have the talent to do just that…make plays all by himself. Khalen has the unique “quickness in the box” to be disruptive, sack QB’s and make tackles for losses. He loves doing it and I say, let him do it. Don’t try to turn him into a two gap wonder because he is not going to impact in that type of system. Don’t get me wrong, he will do his best in a two-gap system but why take away his ability to impact? Khalen will impact in a 1 gap attack system and I say draft him with that in mind and you will have selected an impact defensive lineman. Nowadays a pass rush up the middle is what teams are looking for, just pushing the pocket is not enough and Khalen is that type of guy, to give you more than just a push up the middle. He will flush his prey into the arms of his teammates or he will drop his prey all by himself.
