 USC offensive lineman Matt Kalil hopes to follow in his older brother's footsteps and become an NFL starter. (Mark Comon / Getty Images / 11) |
By Sam Farmer
Matt Kalil, widely projected to be a top-10 draft pick, will be protecting the blind side of an NFL quarterback in the fall.
The USC standout will not be flying blind, however, at the scouting combine this week, when hundreds of NFL scouts, coaches and executives convene at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to get an up-close look at the latest class of pro hopefuls.
Kalil has the benefit of a walking, blocking how-to guide in the form of his big brother, Carolina Panthers center Ryan Kalil, a Pro Bowl performer who's happy to dispense any advice that might help.
Ryan is Matt's lead blocker, if you will, just as he was in blazing a trail for his younger brother at Servite High and USC.
"It's definitely helped me a lot," Matt said. "Obviously, I've still got to perform and be a good player, but it's been a lot easier going to college and going to the combine like I am right now, and having someone who's already done everything. Not a lot of people have that."
The combine, which begins Wednesday and runs through Tuesday, is an invitation-only job interview for roughly 320 of the best draft prospects that includes physical exams, drills and workouts, and individual interviews with teams. Center stage this year will be quarterbacks Andrew Luck of Stanford and Robert Griffin III of Baylor, but standing just on the edge of the brightest spotlight are top tackles Kalil and Iowa's Riley Reiff.
Mike Mayock, lead draft analyst for the NFL Network, called Kalil "a wonderfully gifted left tackle."
"He's got great feet, long arms, and he fits the bill for the athleticism look in an all-pro left tackle," Mayock said. "What he doesn't have yet is the core strength that you're going to look for that will happen two or three years from now. And every once in a while he gets bull-rushed. Every once in a while at the point of attack, he's going to struggle. But he does what the NFL demands from their left tackles, which is he ultimately will be an exceptional pass protector."
Since early January, the 6-foot-7 Kalil has been living in Arizona, working out six days a week. He said his weight has gone from 293 to 308, while dropping 2 percentage points in body fat.
"He's the biggest I've ever seen him," Ryan said. "It's amazing how big a kid can get when you get him away from the fast food and the college life." Matt, who opted to leave USC a year early, figures to be drafted a lot sooner than Ryan, who was a steal in 2007 as the 59th selection. He has been to the Pro Bowl each of the last three years and, as the Panthers' franchise player last season, became the highest-paid center in NFL history with a six-year deal worth $50 million.
Considered the top left tackle on many draft boards, Matt could go as early as third to Minnesota, which 44 years ago used the No. 1 pick on a USC tackle who went on to become one of the all-time greats. Ron Yary, who played on the right side, was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Of course, comparing Kalil to a Hall of Fame member is wildly premature. But Ryan thinks Matt has the potential to become a very good pro in short order.
"My thing has been trying to help prepare him mentally for it," Ryan said. "The biggest thing, especially at his position, is composure, and having a really short memory because there are a lot of really good players who are going to humble you real quick."
Frank Kalil marvels at the success of his two sons, particularly remarkable, he said, because they were far from being eye-catching players as youngsters.
"They were perennial second-teamers back in the day," said Frank, an offensive lineman drafted by Buffalo in the 11th round in 1982. "They were average players in junior football, the guys who barely got to play.
"I didn't want to do that dad thing where it's year-round, working them out, especially when they're that young. I think there's a problem with most parents doing that to kids. But when they got to 11 or 12 and Ryan told me he wanted to do it, we worked out a few little training exercises. When Matt saw how well that worked out for Ryan, he wanted to do the same thing.
"Ryan blazed the trail, Matt followed in his footsteps, and right now it's working out pretty well."
sam.farmer@latimes.com
twitter.com/LATimesfarmer
The USC standout will not be flying blind, however, at the scouting combine this week, when hundreds of NFL scouts, coaches and executives convene at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to get an up-close look at the latest class of pro hopefuls.
Kalil has the benefit of a walking, blocking how-to guide in the form of his big brother, Carolina Panthers center Ryan Kalil, a Pro Bowl performer who's happy to dispense any advice that might help.
Ryan is Matt's lead blocker, if you will, just as he was in blazing a trail for his younger brother at Servite High and USC.
"It's definitely helped me a lot," Matt said. "Obviously, I've still got to perform and be a good player, but it's been a lot easier going to college and going to the combine like I am right now, and having someone who's already done everything. Not a lot of people have that."
The combine, which begins Wednesday and runs through Tuesday, is an invitation-only job interview for roughly 320 of the best draft prospects that includes physical exams, drills and workouts, and individual interviews with teams. Center stage this year will be quarterbacks Andrew Luck of Stanford and Robert Griffin III of Baylor, but standing just on the edge of the brightest spotlight are top tackles Kalil and Iowa's Riley Reiff.
Mike Mayock, lead draft analyst for the NFL Network, called Kalil "a wonderfully gifted left tackle."
"He's got great feet, long arms, and he fits the bill for the athleticism look in an all-pro left tackle," Mayock said. "What he doesn't have yet is the core strength that you're going to look for that will happen two or three years from now. And every once in a while he gets bull-rushed. Every once in a while at the point of attack, he's going to struggle. But he does what the NFL demands from their left tackles, which is he ultimately will be an exceptional pass protector."
Since early January, the 6-foot-7 Kalil has been living in Arizona, working out six days a week. He said his weight has gone from 293 to 308, while dropping 2 percentage points in body fat.
"He's the biggest I've ever seen him," Ryan said. "It's amazing how big a kid can get when you get him away from the fast food and the college life." Matt, who opted to leave USC a year early, figures to be drafted a lot sooner than Ryan, who was a steal in 2007 as the 59th selection. He has been to the Pro Bowl each of the last three years and, as the Panthers' franchise player last season, became the highest-paid center in NFL history with a six-year deal worth $50 million.
Considered the top left tackle on many draft boards, Matt could go as early as third to Minnesota, which 44 years ago used the No. 1 pick on a USC tackle who went on to become one of the all-time greats. Ron Yary, who played on the right side, was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Of course, comparing Kalil to a Hall of Fame member is wildly premature. But Ryan thinks Matt has the potential to become a very good pro in short order.
"My thing has been trying to help prepare him mentally for it," Ryan said. "The biggest thing, especially at his position, is composure, and having a really short memory because there are a lot of really good players who are going to humble you real quick."
Frank Kalil marvels at the success of his two sons, particularly remarkable, he said, because they were far from being eye-catching players as youngsters.
"They were perennial second-teamers back in the day," said Frank, an offensive lineman drafted by Buffalo in the 11th round in 1982. "They were average players in junior football, the guys who barely got to play.
"I didn't want to do that dad thing where it's year-round, working them out, especially when they're that young. I think there's a problem with most parents doing that to kids. But when they got to 11 or 12 and Ryan told me he wanted to do it, we worked out a few little training exercises. When Matt saw how well that worked out for Ryan, he wanted to do the same thing.
"Ryan blazed the trail, Matt followed in his footsteps, and right now it's working out pretty well."
sam.farmer@latimes.com
twitter.com/LATimesfarmer
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