Will Enagbare be the next impact defender to come out of South Carolina?

The South Carolina Gamecocks don’t rule the roost of the SEC in the same way that Alabama or Georgia do. However, they do have an impressive track record of putting impact players into the NFL.

2022 Edge Kingsley Enagbare is looking to be the next in a line of players that includes Jaycee Horn, Stephon Gilmore, Jadeveon Clowney, Melvin Ingram, Alshon Jeffery, and Deebo Samuel.

Enagbare isn’t as highly regarded as some of those players were coming out of college, but he is a talented player in his own right.

As it so happens, the New York Giants need more players who can pressure passers — and defend the run — off the edge. Can Enagbare help bolster the Giants’ defensive front?

Prospect: Kingsley Enagbare (1)
Games Watched: vs. Georgia (2021), vs. Texas A&M (2021), vs. Tennessee (2021), vs. Clemson (2021)
Red Flags: Hip (2020)

Measurables

Career Stats

Games Played: 39

Tackles: 120
Tackles For a loss: 24.0
Sacks: 15.0
Forced Fumbles: 3
Passes Defensed: 4

2021 Stats

Games Played: 12

Tackles: 43
Tackles For a loss: 7.0
Sacks: 4.5
Forced Fumbles: 1
Passes Defensed: 2

Quick Summary

Best: Length, play strength, run defense, discipline
Worst: Quickness
Projection: A rotational EDGE defender with starting upside.

Game Tape

Full Report

Kingsley Enagbare is a long, agile, powerful, and versatile EDGE defender from the University of South Carolina.

Enagbare has an uncommon frame for the position, with slightly below average height at 6-foot-3, but longer than average 34 ¾ inch arms. That combination gives him formidable natural leverage to go with the length of a taller defender.

Enagbare usually lined up as an EDGE defender in the Gamecocks’ defense. He played on both the left and right sides, and out of both a two and three-point stance. Enagbare also lined up as an inside linebacker and blitzed through interior gaps on occasion as well. The versatility to rush from a variety of alignments allows his defensive coordinator to find match-ups and rush from unpredictable angles.

Enagbare flashes a good get-off, particularly in obvious passing situations and when he times the snap accurately. In those cases, he’s able to fire his lower half and attack into the backfield without worrying about being disciplined against the run.

He does a good job of using his long arms to deal with blockers’ hands, and can keep his torso clean on his rushes. Enagbare also plays with good power, and uses his length and leverage to maximize his play strength. He has an effective bull rush, which he uses to set up a club-over move as his primary speed counter. Enagbare has a surprisingly fluid lower half and is capable of bending the edge when he rushes with speed in an obvious passing situation. Likewise, he has good agility as a rusher and can be dangerous when darting inside to the B-gap when a blocker over-sets to the outside.

Enagbare’s power and play strength also shows up in run defense. He uses his length, strength, and leverage well to set a firm edge against offensive tackles as a run defender. He has a solid anchor on the outside and is difficult for blockers to move, while also having the agility to shed and make plays on runners off of blockers.

While Enagbare has good agility in tight quarters and shows a good get-off in obvious passing situations, he isn’t a particularly twitchy or explosive defender. That can show up with an inconsistent first step and some sluggish change of direction skills after his first step in a given direction.

Similarly, Enagbare lacks long speed, and while he has great competitive toughness in pursuit, he isn’t going to run many ball carriers down from behind.

Finally, Enagbare has a relatively limited array of pass rush moves, relying heavily on his bullrush and club-over moves. And while they are effective, he appears somewhat predictable for blockers. Adding something like a long-arm or rip move to his arsenal might make him a more consistently dangerous rusher.

Overall Grade: 7.1

Projection

Kingsley Enagbare projects best as a rotational EDGE in a multiple defense.

He doesn’t have the elite explosive traits that define top EDGE defenders’ ability to threaten blockers with speed, and that’s going to hold him back at the NFL level.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that he can’t be a useful player or even develop into a starter. He has an uncommon blend of length and natural leverage, as well as a good play strength and a powerful lower body. Those are all traits that can be useful at the NFL level. That said, he will need to learn how to win with strategy and technique as opposed to “out-athlete-ing” opposing linemen.

Enagbare’s play strength and discipline in the run game should earn him the trust of defensive coordinators on early downs or short yardage situations. He has the ability to stand blockers up on the play side and force runners to find cut-back lanes, opening them up to being stopped by pursuit players.

Developing a more diverse set of pass rush moves, particularly moves that make better use of his long arms and natural levera, would be a good start for Enagbare. If he can build a solid array of moves and rush with a plan throughout the game, he could push for a starting job. Or at least be a fixture in an active EDGE rotation.