— Great frame with good length. Has an NFL-ready body.
— Impressive strength at the point of attack and long arms to get extension.
— Can set the edge versus offensive tackles against the run and has the strength to hold ground against combo blocks/double-teams from tackles and tight ends.
— Good bull-rusher with good pad level and leg drive to collapse the pocket.
— High-motor pass-rusher who can get coverage sacks.
— Not quick-twitched or a high-level athlete. A little clunky and heavy-footed in his movements.
— Lacks burst or acceleration off the line of scrimmage. Isn’t going to win around the edge with speed.
— Drops his hands, and overall use of hands as a pass-rusher is still a work in progress.
— A little tight, limiting his bend to turn tight corners around the edge.
— 10 G, 57 TOT, 4.5 SK, 7.5 TFL, 2 FF
— 2-star recruit in the 2019 class, per 247Sports
— Injuries: 2022 (Lower leg, missed 3 games), 2023 (Arm, missed 2 games)
With his combination of strength and power, Marshawn Kneeland is a bull in the trenches. He has a handful of reps on film where he just overwhelms offensive tackles at the point of attack and refuses to get blocked by tight ends.
He’s also quick to get his hands up against the run, has good block recognition and is decent at holding ground against combo blocks.
Kneeland is an impressive bull-rusher, as he has plenty of strength, uses good pad level by getting his helmet on the offensive tackle’s chin and keeps his feet moving through contact. All of that allows him to collapse the pocket, and he’s flashed a solid arm-over move as an inside counter off the bull.
However, the Western Michigan product doesn’t appear to be a good athlete, and he’s a little stiff. That limits his pass arsenal and can make bending or turning a tight corner at the top of the rush difficult. Right now, he’s pretty reliant on winning with power.
Schematically, Kneeland would be best as a 5- or 6-technique defensive end in even fronts. He has an NFL-ready body that is perfect for that type of scheme, which is rare for a Group of Five prospect. He also had a decent showing at the Senior Bowl to help prove he can hold up against better competition and boost his draft stock.
GRADE: 6.6 (Potential Role Player/Contributor — 4th Round)
PRO COMPARISON: Za’Darius Smith
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