2022 NFL DRAFT PROSPECT REPORT
- Name: Marquan McCall
- Position: Interior Defensive Line
- School: Kentucky
- Height: 6'3"
- Weight: 342lbs
Film Watched: Missouri 2021, South Carolina 2021, Shrine Bowl
Pro's:
- Immovable object. Huge nose tackle with all the size you want as the lynchpin of a three man front
- Anchor unchallenged by single blockers, and even double teams have trouble displacing him
- Enormous hands. Incredible grip strength to keep engagement on his terms
- Displays good vision into the backfield and able to get off blocks and to the ball consistently
- Natural two-gapper who can stretch out block contact until the running back chooses his lane
- 100% motor – simply doesn’t take reps off, and works until the play is dead
- Able to attract and absorb attention, opening holes for teammates to exploit
Con's:
- Upper body strength slightly underwhelming for his size – doesn’t blow blockers away with punch
- Short arms partly responsible for lack of pop. Can be washed out by longer opponents
- Not designed to move laterally. Gives good effort, but maintaining his gap integrity on outside runs is a challenge
- Unable to deliver interior pass rush, and will be on the sidelines on obvious passing downs
- Uses hands well to uncover edges, but lacks the speed & elusiveness to penetrate the pocket
The Verdict:
“Out of all the day three nose tackles in this class, Marquan McCall might be the one that offers the best shot of sticking around in the NFL for a healthy career. Pushing 380lbs during his time at Kentucky, McCall slimmed down in the pre-draft process to a shade over 340lbs, and looked a little bit looser in his movement. That won’t confuse him for being an interior pass rusher, but it might allow scouts to consider some potential upside not seen on tape, where McCall operated solely as a run-stuffing nose tackle. And in that role, the former Wildcat was mightily effective; taking on double teams with aplomb and still finding his way to the football. At the very least, McCall has the size to command extra attention and let his surrounding cast eat, and I can see him going a little earlier on the Saturday than you might expect.”
Simon Carroll
Head Of NFL Draft Content
NFL COMPARISON: PAUL SOLIAI
PREDICTION: 5TH ROUND PICK
5/5