Matt Kalil, Junior, Offensive Tackle, USC
Overview:
Just how good is Matt Kalil? As a sophomore he beat out Tyron Smith for the left tackle position at USC. That says a lot about the 6-7, 295 pound offensive lineman. This came after Kalil sat out the 2008 campaign as a redshirt and rarely played as a freshman in 2009. Kalil did make an impact on special teams during his freshman season and was a nice option to have off of the bench, but he certainly did not live up to his hype coming out of high school. On a squad with such depth on the offensive line, that was not too surprising.
Once he was able to get into the lineup, Kalil’s sophomore season went exactly how many expected. He was part of a very experienced line that did a superb job protecting quarterback Matt Barkley and paving rushing lanes for backs Marc Tyler and Allen Bradford.
Final Projection:
Kalil has a good knowledge of the game, stemming from his family pedigree. His father played in the NFL and his brother, Ryan, played at USC and is currently in the NFL. Those two were smart centers and Kalil brings the same intelligence to the left tackle position. Kalil’s big test will come during the 2011 season when the Trojans will be without a couple experienced starters on the offensive line. He is now the experienced offensive lineman and it is his job to keep Barkley on his feet.
1/5/12 Update:
Kalil has opted to forego his senior season at USC and enter the 2012 NFL Draft. It is a smart move since right now he appears to be slated to go second or third overall. Kalil had a fine 2011 campaign at USC even though some others want to go back to the Trojans and actually go to a bowl game. But Kalil will blow away scouts and the NFL Combine and it is hard to see him dropping out of the top five.
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