KC Chiefs scouting report: Joshua Kaindoh is high reward pass rusher

The K.C. Chiefs addressed two needs through their first two selections, and they decided to take care of another one with their third pick overall, which came near the en duo the fourth round, when they selected Joshua Kaindoh.The Florida State defensive end is a player who is a fairly big risk who also happens to have an extremely high ceiling.

With that being said, I wanted to dive into the film and explain what to expect from Kaindoh looking into the future.

Background:

To start, there is still a lot that is unknown about the Chiefs newest defensive end. Out of high school he was ranked as one of the top prospects in the class of 2017, and it led to him committing to Florida State. Kaindoh was a five-star recruit out of IMG Academy and was recruited by some of the biggest college football programs of all time such as Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, Michigan, and so many more. In the end, however, he decided to commit to Florida State.

What he does well:

Joshua Kaindoh is a high risk/high reward player, but the upside to his game is special. He has the ability to be a very good player for the Chiefs looking forward, but will need to develop as a rookie. Kaindoh displays elite athleticism, and when complemented with his excellent length, he has the ability to be a franchise defensive end that the Chiefs are in desperate need of. Kaindoh’s athleticism is translated into multiple aspects of his game: speed, strength, first-step quickness, and his block shedding moves.

Kaindoh has excellent speed, and a very good motor that allows him to pop on film. Within the scouting community and people I’ve interacted with, the consensus remains that the Chiefs are getting a player who is going to always give his all. He has excellent speed off the edge that allows him to beat the tackle with pure speed to the outside, but there is more that meets the eye with Kaindoh. Although he does display excellent speed for a 6’7″ defensive end, he also has the ideal strength that will allow him to break off the tackle in order to make plays.

One of the most important facets of a defensive end’s success is the ability to get a quick first step off the line. With a quick first step, you are able to gain leverage against the tackle in order to stop the run on the outside or make a move in order to get to the quarterback. With Kaindoh having a quick first step, and when combined with his length, speed, and strength he could become a very good pass rusher when looking forward.

Things to improve on:

The Chiefs have filled the hole for a pass rusher, but there are plenty of things Kaindoh needs to work on before becoming the pass rusher we hope for. Lucky for him, with having Chris Jones and Frank Clark on the roster, he will be able to learn from some of the bigger pass rushers in the league. Some of the things I noticed on film that ne needs to improve on is: his hand usage and awareness.

The Chiefs are going to be looking to Kaindoh as a possible solution on the other end of Frank Clark. Although, speculation says that he will be a big part of the Chiefs, it won’t likely be a big factor in year one. He has elite attributes and measurables, but has some technical concerns that will need to be corrected. In multiple scenarios he was able to beat the tackle, but if you look at how he beats them, he doesn’t do it with anything other than his speed.

When it comes to competing in the ACC, and then going up against NFL talent, there is going to be a lot tougher competition to go against, and he’s likely not ready to compete at that level just yet. It will be key for him to improve his technique before the Chiefs really get to see what type of player they have in Kaindoh.

Kaindoh also needs to work on improving play recognition off the edge. He displayed in multiple scenarios an ability to stop the run, but he doesn’t show that part of his game consistently. He doesn’t give up on a play, but he does show poor awareness when it comes to locating the ball. As a edge rusher, finding the ball and making the tackle, whether it’s a pass or run play, is one of the hardest parts of the game. When you get focused on getting to the quarterback, you don’t generally focus on seeing if it is a run play and it shows in his game.

Conclusion:

The Chiefs have a high risk/high reward player in Joshua Kaindoh. The bottom line with Kaindoh is that he has the ability to become a top edge rusher in the league over time, but given the seriousness of concerns with Kaindoh, he likely will be a role player until he can develop for a year or two.

Grade: B+