Kaleb McGary Is A Pro Ready Tackle; Is He A Necessity Given The Redskins Health Woes On The O-line?

Hogs Haven takes a look at 2019 NFL Draft prospects that could contribute to the Redskins

Kaleb McGary, OT
School: Washington | Conference: PAC 12
College Experience: RS Senior | Age: 22?
Height / Weight: 6-6 / 321 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 2nd or 3rd Round
NFL Comparison: Marcus Gilbert

College Statistics

N/A

Player Overview

Kaleb McGary has come a long way since he was a 6-6 / 270 lbs basketball player in high school who also played offense and defense as a football player. McGary collapsed during a high school basketball game and was diagnosed with heart arrhythmia. He had 3 procedures on his heart to correct it before he ever set foot on Washington’s campus. McGary is an athletic talent, a former 4-star prospect who got offers from all over the nation including from Wisconsin who made a hard push for him. McGary loved Wisconsin but chose to stay close to home (he is from Takoma) to be close to his family. He received a redshirt and transformed his body and learned how to play tackle. His offensive line coach has praised him as “incredibly durable”, “incredibly tough, in every sense of the word”, and he has praised his leadership. McGary has a chance to leave for the NFL last year but was committed to saying at Washington to try and make a championship run. His team didn’t succeed but McGary’s play has stood out positively for the better part of his career. McGary has the chance to become a franchise tackle and I wouldn’t rule out a switch to the left side if the team who selected him needed him to play there. Some think he may be devalued because of his heart condition and he may fall much like Michigan’s Maurice Hurst. I don’t think McGary falls that far as his heart issue is known and as long as he is cleared medically. If all is clear he’s going to be a huge value to the team that selects him.

Strengths

• Huge tackle, he’d almost be 6-7 but he’s short a 1/8th of an inch. Well built all around pretty athletic for his size.
• Strong fundamentals and strong technique. Plays with balance and a strong base. Feet look better than you would think for a man his size as he can mirror pretty well. Makes contact with a strong punch and plays with good arm extension. Has good strength to maintain his leverage.
• Has very good awareness and makes good decisions. Knows where his QB is and where his opponent is. Keeps his eyes peeled on the edge and knows when to peel off his assignment to take care of other threats.
• Moves people in the run game. Comes off the ball quick and has the athleticism to get quickly to the second level and make contact.
• Physical player who can finish.

Weaknesses

• Can give away too much ground pass blocking at times after contact is made when faced with speed and power. Needs to be more consistent with his punch and beat his man at the point of attack.
• Tall guy who does his best to get low. When he doesn’t it makes ceed ground especially to speed rushers and he has to catch up. Has a bit of stiffness in his lower half.
• Known past medical issue with his heart. He’ll have to get a clean bill of health to give teams confidence to draft him.

Let’s see his work (#58 RT):

More Kaleb McGary videos

Kaleb McGary had a couple of these yesterday. pic.twitter.com/krODpqvKsA

— Jared Stanger (@JaredStanger) January 27, 2019

#Washington OL Kaleb McGary

HT: 6-6
WT: 321
Arms: 33 5/8”
Hands: 10 1/4”#SeniorBowl

— The Draft Network (@DraftNetworkLLC) January 22, 2019

I have some concerns with Kaleb McGary’s game so far, but Jalen Jelks ain’t one of ‘em pic.twitter.com/qP9iR0XQtz

— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) December 18, 2018

How He Would Fit On The Redskins

I know some will think I’m crazy for suggesting that the Redskins spend yet another 2nd or 3rd rounder on a tackle. The exception here though is that McGary wouldn’t be a backup for long. Trent Williams has been one of the best and most consistent Redskins ever but he is aging, he is slowing down, and he is getting more injury prone. The last year of his current contract is also in 2020. If the Redskins are truly planning for the future in considering one of the most important positions on the field they might actually consider drafting a player who is actually ready to play. The truth is Geron Christian is a long way away and their is a chance he may never get past being a backup. It may seem redundant but with the amount of injuries plaguing the offensive line the Redskins need real help at the tackle position and can not rely solely on picking guys up off the couch when things go wrong. I think McGary can play left tackle at the next level as he has the athleticism to do so. He needs some work but he is solid in his technique already. If he receives a clear medical he’s certainly a player I would think the team should consider given the contact and age of Williams and even Moses. McGary could certainly come in and play whenever Moses twists his ankle again and Redskins fans would be thankful for it rather than watching Austin Howard play. Some may consider it a luxury but given the terrible luck this offensive line has had at nearly all positions over the last few years I would argue its a necessity.

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