DE Kylie Fitts, Utah

6’4″ – 263 lbs. – 4.69

Originally attended UCLA, playing in six games before transferring to Utah. Redshirted, then started eleven of thirteen games played in 2015. Sustained a season-ending foot injury two games into his junior year, then started ten games in an injury-plagued senior year. Lines up on both sides of the line of scrimmage, rushing out of two, three, and four-point stances; at the college level, was most frequently a defensive end. Has a little bit of a linear frame, but a good combination of height and length for a pro edge rusher. Offers a good work rate/motor. Pretty explosive off the snap, with the ability to threaten opposing offensive tackles with his speed rush around the edge. Has some ability to extend his arms and convert speed to power on the outside. Good hand use. Mixes up his rushes with the occasional inside move and what looks like a good spin move. Fluid mover who can bend the edge and create pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Good flexibility and change-of-direction skills. Able to pursue and finish quarterbacks who flee the pocket. Gets his hands up to contest passing lanes when he’s unable to reach the passer. Was asked to line up inside and spy opposing quarterbacks on occasion. Looks fast and fluid when making drops into zone coverage and could make sense as a conversion candidate to a rush linebacker spot. Not the type of rusher who is going to be able to use his bull-rush to overwhelm opponents on a consistent basis. Balance issues will crop up from time to time and can be put on skates by powerful opponents as he tries to turn the corner. Strictly an edge rusher who doesn’t project well to an interior rushing role. Game is less impressive in terms of run defense. Gives good effort and is able to get his arms extended and keep blockers out of his frame, but doesn’t have a lot of sand in his pants to hold the point of attack as a two-gapper, causing him to get turned out of the hole at times. Balance issues are more pronounced when he’s trying to read-and-react at the line of scrimmage. However, does play with the discipline teams like in an edge defender, and has enough athleticism to make some plays in backside pursuit. Has enough size, length, explosiveness, and flexibility to interest teams as a rush specialist with the potential to develop into an adequate run defender with additional strength, but will probably draw some medical concerns and really only played well in 2015.

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