Round 5
Brandon Shell – OL – South Carolina
Strengths: Big bodied lineman with a large wingspan. Quick and well-balanced to mirror pass rushers. Uses his length to control defenders and keep them from using secondary moves. Good base and can plant firmly against the bull rush.
Patient and doesn’t reach or allow himself to get off balance in his initial set up. Shows solid fundamentals for pass blocking. Showed up well in the Shrine Game practices.
Weaknesses: Has a tendency to settle into a spot if the pass rush doesn’t get on him right away. Will allow his feet to stop moving and has a hard time getting them going again. Quicker pass rushers can get a second move on him if they let him settle. Doesn’t keep his feet moving in the run game which prevents him from getting the most out of his size and strength.
The Fit: Shell played OT his entire time at South Carolina, and that’s how most of the media pundits see him. But the more I watch, the more I think that he should make the move inside. I won’t make some wild prediction about Shell being a superstar in the NFL, but I do see him as a reliable depth option at both OT and OG, with some starting potential if he takes to the guard spot.
While most believe the Chiefs need a starting LG, it is altogether possible that they believe they already have him on the roster. But even if that is the case, they will still need more depth along the OL in general.
Next: Still Working The Secondary