South Carolina Star Climbs Up 2020 NFL Draft Board
South Carolina Star Climbs Up 2020 NFL Draft Board
South Carolina Star Climbs Up 2020 NFL Draft Board
A South Carolina star is climbing up the 2020 NFL Draft board.
Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw impressed a lot of people at the Senior Bowl in Alabama this week.
This past season, Kinlaw recorded 35 tackles and six sacks with South Carolina.
According to ESPN college football insider Todd McShay, Kinlaw earned himself more additional money in the Senior Bowl than any other young prospect.
Appearing on the ESPN First Draft podcast, McShay sung Kinlaw’s praises the entire time.
South Carolina DT Javon Kinlaw made serious money in just 48 hours of work at last week’s Senior Bowl. He’s a beast up front! pic.twitter.com/0syXDJ75MX
— Todd McShay (@McShay13) January 31, 2020
“I think his agent probably whispered in his ear and he said, ‘Okay, I’m out of here.’ And again, this is not about playing with teammates, this is not about winning for your college or going to bowl games or anything else,” McShay said.
“This is about making money and getting to the next level and putting yourself in the best position. I thought Kinlaw, probably above anyone else, there stood out.”
According to multiple NFL Draft projections, Kinlaw is widely regarded now as a top fifteen pick.
Between his athletic prowess and good instincts he is viewed as a piece that could turn into an immediate contributor.
In his most recent NFL mock draft, expert Mel Kiper Jr. has Kinlaw going at number nine to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“Kinlaw is just behind Brown in my defensive tackle rankings, and he has had a good week of practice at the Senior Bowl, cementing his status as a top-15 pick,” he wrote.
“He fills a void in Jacksonville, where former first-round pick Taven Bryan (three sacks in two seasons) hasn’t worked out.
“The Jags hit on edge rusher Josh Allen (10.5 sacks) in last year’s draft, going with the best player available in the top 10, but they’ll have to pay up to keep Yannick Ngakoue from hitting the free-agent market,” he continued.
“This defense has to get an injection of youth, and the Jaguars have two first-round picks to do it.”
Where will Kinlaw ultimately end up? We should find out once and for all come April.
Related: Tua Tagovailoa Trashes Bengals, Wants Dolphins
Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
