KSR 2022 NFL Draft Profile: Marquan McCall

We have reached NFL Draft week, and things are happening as the biggest non-sporting event on the calendar quickly approaches. Kentucky could have a couple of big days out in Las Vegas.

Marquan McCall was the top-ranked player in Kentucky’s 2018 recruiting class as the Wildcats began to build a pipeline in Detroit. The space-eating nose tackle played immediately and would become a solid starter for the Wildcats as a senior. Now McCall will look to be the second consecutive nose tackle taken in the NFL Draft.

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Player: Marquan McCall

• Height: 6025
• Weight: 354 pounds
• Arm: 33 1/4 inches
• Hand: 11 inches
• Wingspan: 80 7/8 inches
• 40-yard dash: 5.41 seconds
• Broad jump: 7’6″
• Vertical: 20.5 inches
• 3-cone: DNP
• Short shuttle: 5.03 seconds
• Bench press: 26 reps

On tape, Marquan McCall flashes some twitchiness, but we didn’t see that from the nose tackle in the athletic testing. The 10-yard split and short shuttle scores were well below average, and the broad jump did not show much explosiveness. McCall has a unique skill set, and the testing data did not help enhance that.

College Production

• 2018: 8 games, 5 tackles, 1 sack, 0.5 non-sack tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble
• 2019: 13 games, 21 tackles, 4 non-sack tackles for loss, 1 PBU
• 2020: 10 games, 3 starts, 22 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 0.5 non-sack tackles for loss
• 2021: 9 games, 8 starts, 9 tackles, 3.5 non-sack tackles for loss, missed 4 games with an ankle injury
• Career: 40 games, 11 starts, 57 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 8.5 non-sack tackles for loss

Background

Marquan McCall was a top-175 recruit in the class of 2020 out of Oak Park (Mich.) High in the class of 2018. A prospect that appeared to have a future at either offensive guard or defensive tackle, the recruitment was heated for this blue-chipper.

During the recruiting process, McCall took visits to Indiana, Iowa State, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. However, a long relationship established with Kentucky helped the Wildcats win out, and lead recruiter Steve Clinkscale locked up McCall’s commitment at the end of his junior school year. Without much drama, McCall would sign with the Wildcats seven months later.

McCall came in and immediately was the top reserve at nose tackle behind Quinton Bohanna. As a junior, Bohanna suffered an injury, and it gave McCall the chance to start three SEC games. The junior performed well and entered his senior season with high expectations.

Unfortunately, McCall was lost early in the win over Florida and had to miss four vital games — LSU, Georgia, Mississippi State, and Tennessee. The Wildcats missed his presence on the interior as that’s when the team’s defensive slide began. McCall returned to the lineup at the end of the year and made a couple of flash plays against Louisville and Iowa to end the season. However, not being able to play in those four big games left a “what could’ve been” scenario on the table.

Scouting Report

Marquan McCall is a space-eater along the interior of the line of scrimmage that is difficult to move. At his best, McCall has potential as a two-gap run-stuffing defensive tackle who showed some burst at the Shrine Bowl that could give him some pass rush value.

McCall still needs some work on hand technique, but when he gets everything right this can be a dominant zero technique due to his sheer size and play strength. However, endurance is a huge question as McCall has had to work very hard to keep his weight down in college. The poor athletic scores are a concern, but at the end of the day, this is a prospect that will succeed to do his size and overall strength.

At his best, McCall can turn into an elite run stuffer that can keep linebackers clean and occasionally help the pass rush.

Draft Window

Dane Brugler (The Athletic) Grade: 6th-7th round

Jordan Reid (ESPN) Grade: 6th round

The NFL has gone pass-happy, but there is still value in stopping the run. To do that, teams need physical and strong players at the point of attack to plug gaps and keep linebackers free. That is what Marquan McCall will bring to the next level.

There are valid concerns there isn’t one full year of starter’s reps on tape. Yet, this is still a player with a skill set that can succeed at the pro level. McCall still needs to develop as a technician, and there isn’t a lot of huge value for nose tackles early in the draft.

McCall is a day three prospect who could very well be sitting on the board in the seventh round.