Last Line of Defense: Kamren Kinchens

What do you do with Miami safety Kamren Kinchens who displays first-round athletic ability, but shows reluctance?

Put him in the second-round.

That’s the only surefire way to mitigate the risk. Odds are, he’ll further impress with his straight-line speed at the NFL Scouting Combine and his pro day, but I can’t warm up to him.

I have a rule that I will not break. I have to feel excited when I watch a prospect on game film to put him on my first-round board and Kinchens just does not excite me.

When projecting these prospects, I look at guys like I’m a general manager and ask myself, “Would I want this guy on my team?”

The answer is no.

Does this guy move the meter?

Not based on these five games.

Straight-line speed

When Kinchens decides to hit the gas pedal, he can fly.

The problem is getting him to punch the gas.

He flashes fast straight-line speed about once in a blue moon.

For as fast as he can run, there’s no excuse why he can’t provide help in coverage on time, but he couldn’t against North Carolina, Southern Mississippi, and Clemson.

Not unless he has to

Kinchens is the type of safety who will help out in support when he has to and he’ll end up around the tackle pile a lot.

Is he capable of more?

Absolutely, he shows that on game film. However, he often would rather not be involved.

Want

There is no substitute for want. It’s the thing that separates greatness from mediocrity and busts when discussing prospects with elite raw physical ability.

Back when I was with the Jets, one of Bill Parcells’ “Critical Factors of Scouting,” was, “Is football important to him?”

It all comes down to want and if you read enough of my work, you’ll see it’s the thing I keep talking about.

Nothing scares me more than guys like Kinchens – – boom or bust type prospects. Guys who can run fast and look the part, but their level of ‘want’ looks like a roller coaster.

Georgia Tech

This was Kinchens best game out of the five.

Three interceptions, one of those for a 99-yard touchdown. He defended another pass on top of that.

Had I just watched this game, I would put a first-round grade on him. The problem is prospects have to be more consistent in their fuller body of work.

Revisit Kinchens

He’s on my list to revisit on his 2023 game film.

I’ll need to circle back and do another five to six games to confirm his second-round grade or move him accordingly on my board.

This is the second year I’m looking at film over a two-year time period whenever possible to provide a fuller big-picture perspective on who these prospects really are over a sustained period of time.

(Note: Kinchens has changed from jersey No. 24 to No. 5 for the 2023 season).

#24 Kamren Kinchens 6-foot-0, 205 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Summer 2023 Grade: Second-Round (I wouldn’t select him)

Projected by 34.8% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of September 17, 2023 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Game film reviewed (2022): North Carolina, Texas A&M, Southern Mississippi, Clemson, and Georgia Tech (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2022 stats: 59 tackles (34 solo), 6 interceptions and 5 passes defended

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Compact built athletic safety with good straight-line speed with a very inconsistent effort level. Able to cover tightly in one-on-one situations. Below average deeper help is shown in these games due to not trying hard enough. Excellent ball skills. Good hands. Looked the part coming back downhill and stopping screens dead in their tracks. Suspect pass support helping out. Concerned about when he hesitates before providing deeper help in coverage. Against the run, capable of coming up and making stops or assists, but often prefers to lay back or wait until the action reaches him. Above average dependability as a tackler.

What to watch for during the 2023 college football season

1. Does he look reluctant?

2. How does he look in pass support?

3. How does he look in run support?

4. Does he duplicate the 2022 production?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, contributes at Yardbarker, and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.