SI All-American Candidate Keshon Griffin Highlights and Evaluation

Keshon Griffin is a defensive end prospect from St. Joseph High School in Hammonton, N.J. Griffin is an SI All-American candidate.

Prospect: Keshon Griffin
Status: SI All-American candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-4, 220 pounds 
Position: Defensive End
School: Hammonton (N.J.) St. Joseph
Committed to: Rutgers 
Projected Position: Defensive End 

Frame: Tall, with impressive overall width. Broad shoulders, big chest and long arms. Strong base, with defined trunk and thick thighs. Room to add additional weight as necessary. 

Athleticism: Solid yet unspectacular tools. Coordinated. Moves well in short spaces and open field, but overall mobility only above-average at best. Limited flexibility. Good strength. Arrives with power as tackler. 

Instincts: Relishes contact. Quick to diagnose and shed. Comfortable sitting in hole and setting edge as run defender. Flashes good awareness dropping into coverage, running with receivers in his zone. 

Polish: Already uses long arms to great advantage, locking out linemen to peer into backfield. Plays with natural base, but gets a bit upright in open field. Possesses basic array of pass-rush moves that must be diversified. 

Bottom Line: Occasionally off the line as an edge linebacker in high school, Griffin will be at his best for Rutgers with his hand in the dirt as a traditional defensive end. Lack of quick-twitch explosiveness puts clear cap on his ceiling, but should be an effective, reliable contributor for multiple seasons, especially against the run.