2016 NFL mock draft: Pre-Combine

4th Round

Denver Kirkland – OG – Arkansas

Strengths: A big man who is hard to get by, Kirkland is built like the prototypical NFL OG.  He possesses surprising athleticism that allows him to move quickly to maintain his blocks or work in space.  Strong in the running game, showing the ability to overwhelm at the point of attack or move quickly to seal blocks as a pulling guard.

Durable with 34 consecutive starts at Arkansas, despite dealing with a shoulder issue in 2015.  Has lined up at LT as well, and could project to RT with the right system/coach.

Weaknesses: While he is strong, he doesn’t show the consistent strength one would expect from a man his size.  Relies too much on his size and can get off balance.  Doesn’t show the mean streak one would like for a guy with his natural advantages.  Doesn’t exploit his athleticism to its full potential due to some choppy footwork on the move.

The Fit: Kirkland has all of the tools to be a dominant player in the NFL, but has yet to really try and tap into it.  Comes from the Bret Bielema pipeline which speaks well to his potential for NFL success.  Needs to develop a mean streak and try to dominate his opponents.  He’ll be a project early on, but the ceiling is incredible.  Someone needs to light a fire under him, which the Chiefs appear equipped to do (see: Fisher, Allen, and Reid).