Kheeston Randall, Senior, Defensive Tackle, Texas
Overview:
Like most defensive players at Texas, Kheeston Randall had to bide his time before seeing significant playing time on the Longhorns defense. However, Randall did not have to wait as long as many others. As a true freshman in 2008, Randall made eight appearances at defensive tackle. He rarely played long, but gained some valuable experience. The following year Randall found himself in the starting lineup more often than not. The Texas defense was extremely productive in 2009 and Randall did his part. On the year he totaled 23 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 3.0 tackles-for-loss and forced a fumble.
By his junior season Randall was more consistent getting into the backfield. He ended up ranking second on the team with 13.0 tackles-for-loss and that is pretty impressive considering the talented rushers on the Longhorns roster in 2010.
Final Projection:
For a defensive tackle, Randall is a little flashier than most. Not only can he collapse the pocket and create plays for his teammates, but Randall makes plenty of plays himself. He is a big hitter who forced two fumbles in 2010 alone, but is also a sure tackler and rarely allows a rusher to get by him. NFL scouts will like his playmaking ability if he can add a little more weight to his 6-5, 295 pound frame without losing his explosiveness.
1/5/12 Update:
Randall had a decent senior season, but it was not anything that has gotten the NFL too excited about his prospects at the next level. He is a player who will have a lot to prove at the NFL Combine, but he certainly has the talent to have a good showing. However, even with a better than expected performance at the NFL Combine and some of the other pre-draft workouts, Randall's ceiling appears to be around the second or third round.
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