Overview
Position: Interior defensive lineman
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 324 pounds
School: Western Illinois Leathernecks
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 5.01 seconds
Bench press: 27 reps
Vertical jump: 30.5 inches
Broad jump: 8 feet, 5 inches
Three-cone drill: 7.57 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.62 seconds
Khalen Saunders 2019 NFL Draft Profile
A native of St. Louis, MO, Khalen Saunders excelled in multiple sports at Parkway Central High School. It included playing on the offensive and defensive lines for the football team which finished as the state runner-up during his senior season. A year earlier, he made a name for himself in another sport when he took second in the shot put at the state track meet. Saunders also lettered for the wrestling team.
Receiving little interest from FBS programs, Saunders committed to Western Illinois out of the Missouri Valley Conference. Though he sat out the 2014 season, he made a rather noticeable impact as a redshirt freshman despite not making a single start. His final stat line that year read 27 tackles, 4.5 for loss, 2.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery. He received an expanded role the following season as he started all 11 games and registered 48 tackles, five for loss, two pass break-ups, and even a blocked kick on special teams.
Saunders further developed into an upper-echelon player at FCS level as an upperclassman. Over the course of his redshirt junior and senior seasons, Saunders combined for 129 tackles, 25 of which were for a loss, as well as 14 sacks. He showed a flack for disrupting both the run and pass games as he also totaled four pass breakups and four forced fumbles during that time. He earned second-team FCS All-American honors at the conclusion of his senior year.
Strengths
- impressive lateral athleticism and initial quickness for his size;
- uncorks hips to deliver forceful blows;
- wins at the point of attack with quick and active hand action;
- employs a fierce stack and shed move to plug gaps and bring down runners;
- an effective pass disruptor both as a rusher and in forcing batted balls;
- plays with a high motor on a consistent basis;
- can execute counters in order to disengage from blockers;
- solid wrap-up technique when tackling;
- allayed some concern over production being a function of competition level with an impressive outing at the Senior Bowl.
Weaknesses
- below average arm length and hand size;
- sacrifices a lot of potential leverage by playing too upright;
- doesn’t generate consistent power with bull rush;
- opposing linemen with a combination of fundamentals and power can take him out of plays;
- seems to wear down late in games;
- might be limited in terms of scheme.
NFL Comparison: Zach Kerr
Teams With Need at Position: Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets
Projection: Third to fourth round
Bottom Line
Saunders dominated against a lower level of competition in college. But he came to the Senior Bowl and proved he could hang against this year’s top interior offensive lineman prospects. He’s immensely athletic with solid initial burst and knows how to use his hands to separate. He also boasts a high football I.Q. and doesn’t need to be in the quarterback’s face to make an impact in pass defense as he’s adept at batting the ball down. That said, he’s a bit short at 6’0″ and his arm length is a bit of a concern. He also might be limited to one-gap duty in a 4-3 scheme at the next level. Overall, Saunders should find work early on as a rotational nose tackle with the opportunity for starter-level reps there for the taking as he develops.
