Keondre Coburn NFL Draft Overview
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height: 6′-2″
Weight: 332 pounds
School: Texas
2023 NFL Draft: Keondre Coburn Scouting Report
After spending the past five seasons with the Texas Longhorns, Keondre Coburn has officially declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. The defensive tackle is coming off of what may be the best season of his career. Appearing in a career-high 13 games, the redshirt Senior finished the campaign with 29 tackles, four tackles-for-loss, and 2.5 sacks.
Keondre Coburn originally joined the college football world in 2018 but didn’t see consistent playing time until 2019. Earning a starting job while playing in eight games, the defensive tackle finished the season with 24 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, and two sacks. 2020 was more of the same, as Coburn finished with 25 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, and one sack. He took a bit of a step backwards in 2021, recording just 15 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, and one sack in nine games before bouncing back in 2022.
Strengths
- Fast off the snap – can get in a center’s face before they’re ready to block;
- 16th percentile height and 92nd percentile weight allow him to get fantastic leverage on every block;
- Generates extreme power and can collapse the pocket;
- Can take on double teams without giving up ground;
- Built like a tank – hard to move regardless of situation.
Weaknesses
- Too big and slow to be a gap player – likely limited to early downs at NFL level;
- One-trick pony – if he can’t overpower you, he doesn’t have a backup move;
- Poor fundamentals lead to inconsistent performances;
- Pedestrian athleticism caps his ceiling;
- As a fifth-year player, doesn’t have as much room to develop.
NFL Comparison: Isaac Sopoaga
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks
Projection: Round 4
Bottom Line on Keondre Coburn
Keondre Coburn was born in the wrong generation. As a two-down nose tackle, Coburn is primarily responsible for eating up space, closing up run lanes, and freeing up others to make plays. While he’s no Vince Wilfork, he is good enough at that to earn a spot in the NFL. The 6′-2″, 332-pound defensive tackle knows how to use his massive build to gain leverage on opposing blockers and win the battle in the trenches. When he’s at his best, he can close up rushing lanes like they’re nothing and even collapse the pocket from the inside.
Unfortunately, that skill set doesn’t carry too much value in today’s NFL. Coburn is at his best against the run, but teams are throwing the ball more often than ever now. There is no such thing as a running down in the modern league, so if a guy wants to get on the field, they need to be able to make plays against the pass.
As mentioned earlier, Keondre Coburn has the raw ability to collapse the pocket, but he needs to work on his consistency if he’s going to earn a regular role on a defensive line. Coburn’s fundamentals leave something to be desired, and he doesn’t really have any pass-rushing moves. He exclusively wins with strength and leverage, and if a center can match his muscle, then he’s basically out of the play.
Ultimately, Keondre Coburn projects as a rotational interior defensive lineman that can clog up running lanes in short-yardage situations. That role might not be too valuable in today’s NFL, so he should go off the board at some point in the fourth round.
Main Photo: Aaron Martinez – USA Today Sports
