KC Chiefs 2021 draft preview: Kwity Paye leads defensive end prospect list
By Thomas Welte
Joe Tryon, DE, Washington
Saving the proverbial “best for last”, Joe Tryon from the University of Washington caught my eye in the last round of evaluations and has me sold as a potential steal in the 2021 NFL draft. Tryon opted out of the 2020 college season and may be lost in the shuffle a bit, but the former Husky has some excellent play on film. Tryon deserves to be in the conversation when discussing the best defensive ends in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Tryon is an exciting athlete with a relentless motor. He shows excellent coordinator and balance with extremely active hands that wear down offensive linemen over the course of the game. He plays with good burst and timing, and with further development, it could elevate his game to elite status at the next game. He shows good bend when rounding the corner and uses his flexibility when transitioning to his counters. There are a lot of elements to like about Joe Tryon’s game, including an absolutely lethal swim-over move, especially when slipping between the tackle and guard.
The one area that may turn teams away, especially the Chiefs who like power rushers, is the lack of a true power rush from Tryon. He uses his length extremely well and has functional strength, but he oftentimes goes around rather than through blockers. While that may sound like it would cause problems in run defense, he uses his leverage and agility to make plays and set the edge. The only other concern is verifying the measurables, Tryon is listed at 6′5″ and 262 pounds but looks like he may potentially be lighter than his listed weight at times.
Joe Tryon is likely to be available at 31 for Kansas City, and may even be available if the Chiefs traded down. While he is not the typical defensive end that Kansas City stylistically prefers, he has all of the abilities and the size to fill a starting role. The upside with Tryon is exciting, and if he develops, he could be a Pro Bowl level player. It is hard to compare the combination of size and agility that Tryon shows, but I was reminded of Yannick Ngakoue when watching the Washington Husky.