height: 6'3″
weight: 267
hand: 9⅛”
arm: 34 1/2″
Wingspan: 83⅜”
40 yard dash: 4.75
3-cone: 7.02
shuttle: 4.18
vertical: 35.5 inches
Wide: 9'11″
positive
— Great frame with the right length. He has an NFL-ready body.
— Impressive strength at the point of attack and long arms to extend.
— Can establish an advantage against offensive tackles against the run and has the strength to hold his ground against combo blocks/double teams from tackles and tight ends.
— Great bull rusher with good pad level and leg drive to crush the pocket.
— High-momentum pass rusher who can get coverage sacks.
negative
— He doesn't have explosive power or is a high-level athlete. My movements are a little clumsy and my legs are heavy.
— Lacks explosion and acceleration from the line of scrimmage. You can't beat the edge with speed.
— He drops his hands, but is still a work in progress in using his entire hand as a pass rusher.
— It's a bit harsh, which limits flex when turning tight corners near edges.
2023 statistics
— 10G, 57 TOT, 4.5 SK, 7.5 TFL, 2 FF
Note
— Born July 8, 2001
— Two-star recruit in the 2019 class, according to 247Sports
— Injuries: 2022 (lower leg, missed 3 games), 2023 (arm, missed 2 games)
whole
Combining strength and power, Marshawn Kneeland is a force in the trenches. He has several reps on film where he overwhelms offensive tackles at the point of attack and refuses to be blocked by tight ends.
He also gets his hands up quickly against the run, has good block recognition, and is good at holding his ground against combo blocks.
Kneeland is an impressive bull rusher because he has plenty of strength, uses a good level of padding with his helmet on the offensive tackle's chin, and keeps his feet moving during contact. All of that allowed him to collapse the pocket and show solid over-arm movement as an inside counter from the bull.
However, it doesn't seem like the one from Western Michigan is a very good player, and he's a bit stiff. That can limit his passing arsenal and make it difficult to turn at the top of the rush or turn tight corners. For now, he relies heavily on winning with power.
Schematically, Nyland is best suited as a five- or six-tech defensive end on an even front. He has an NFL-ready body that is perfect for that type of scheme, which is rare for a Group 5 prospect. He also had a decent performance at the Senior Bowl, proving he could hold up against better competition and boosting his draft stock.
School year: 7.0 (High-level backup/potential starter — 3 rounds)
Overall ranking:80
position rank: Edge 8
professional comparison: Za'Darius Smith
Written by B/R NFL Scout mat holder
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