Scouting Report 10 - Kelcy Quarles - #8 DT

The eight defensive tackle I'm going to look at is Kelcy Quarles. I'm now starting to hope that I can find some diamonds in the rough. Anyways, onto Quarles. Here are his vitals:

Name: Kelcy Quarles
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 298
College: South Carolina
Stats: 39 tackles, 9.5 sacks
Projected Round: 3-4

The first game I'm going to look at is South Carolina vs. Tennessee. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to use Clowney tape to look at Quarles. Also, because Quarles is an underclassmen there isn't much film directly on him, and he isn't used every down. Having said that,  this game took place on October 19, 2013. He had 4 tackles and 1 sack. He is number 99.

Well, it looks like Quarles is one of the first people to break out of his stance at the snap of the ball. However, once he breaks his stance, he appears to stand almost straight up and down. This immediately neutralizes his quick reaction and gives the offensive lineman leverage. Despite giving the offensive lineman leverage, he appears to display good strength as he still seems to maintain his area on passing downs and even get occasional pressure on the QB.

However, on running downs, he seems to get pushed backwards and lose ground. While he reacts quickly to the snap, he doesn't have a good burst or quickness once the play gets moving. He looks susceptible to the run. In my opinion, he looks very raw. He needs to improve quite a bit, such as coming out of his stance lower, and becoming more effective with his hands. He also doesn't seem like he will blow anyone away with his speed. Although, he doesn't appear to be slow for a defensive tackle, I'm just not sure he's fast enough to be a viable option at 3-tech. Although, he may be a good project for our NT.

The next game I'm going to look at is South Carolina against Missouri. This game took place on October 26, 2013. Quarles recorded 6 tackles and 2 sacks.

As I stated before, he appears to be quick out of his stance, but then loses at the point of attack because he engages too high. This allows offensive lineman to push him out of the way on running plays. It also takes away some of the pressure he could cause as he gets caught up relatively quickly because he has no leverage. Despite that, he does do a good job using his strength to maintain his area on passing downs. This is what accounts for his sacks. He maintains his area, pushes into the backfield a little bit and Clowney or other pass rushers force the QB to step up or run and they run right into Quarles. 

I think it's also important to note that he is not used in the redzone. I don't think he is an effective NT, at least at this point, as he doesn't seem to do well against the run. He also doesn't have great lateral speed, but has solid straight line speed for a big defensive tackle. There are times when he does display the ability to collapse the middle of the defense, but it's not often. Overall, I think if he could break out of his stance lower he would do better. Having said that, I worry about his balance, as he ends up on the ground a little too much. 

The final game I'm going to look at is South Carolina versus UNC. In this game, Quarles isn't really used that much. He actually doesn't come in until the second half. However, he still managed to get 3 tackles and a sack. This game took place on August 29, 2013. 

The playing time is extremely limited for Quarles in this game. However, he displays the good initial reaction time, and the high pad level again. He also ends up on the ground a few times, despite barely playing. The entire gamecock defense is a bit too aggressive, and they end up suffering on the ground. He really needs to do a better job getting lower. Throughout all the games, he didn't really display any moves other than a quick rush. I think he needs to improve his hand usage. 

Overall, I think Quarles could be a good prospect. I see him as a 4-3 NT at the end of the day. I just don't think he is quick enough, even if he improves his pad level, to get consistent pressure on the QB. Quarles is 6'4" so he should have room to add weight. I think if he could add 12-17 pounds he would be a very effective 4-3 NT. That combined with his quick twitch at the line could allow him to occasionally pressure the QB. It would also allow him to win battles in the running game. However, he has a lot to improve before he can get there. He needs to improve his pad level, he needs to improve his hands, he needs to add some moves, and he needs to add some weight to his frame. But I do think the potential is there. I wouldn't be upset if we drafted him in the 5th round or later.