PSO Scouting Report: EDGE K'Lavon Chaisson (LSU)

PSO’s original Scouting Reports strive to be uniquely valuable in evaluating a player’s future outlook by focusing on the four main subjects that summarize a player’s likelihood of succeeding at the next level including: natural Physical Tools, College Game Film, proven Production, and overall Risk that each individual player presents to a team drafting him. For a full breakdown of our Scouting Reports, click here.

Bio

Pos: EDGE

Hometown: Houston, TX

School: LSU

Class: Redshirt Sophomore

Age: 20

Height: 6’3″ | Weight: 254 lbs.

Hands: 9.88” | Arms: 32.25”

Bench: N/A | 40 Time: N/A

Facts to Know

1st-Team All-SEC (2019) and Freshman All-SEC (2017)
Recorded 4 or more pressures in each of last 4 games (TAMU, UGA, OKLA, CLEM)
Peach Bowl Defensive MVP with 6 tackles, 2 sacks vs Oklahoma
Earned LSU’s honorable #18 jersey in 2019

Physical Tools

Pros

Solid frame, length
Weighed in heavier than expected (listed at 254 lbs)
Incredible first step burst
Amazing flexibility to bend around OTs
Surprising strength & physicality
Top-notch contact balance

Cons

Slightly undersized if drafted as a 4-3 DE, but clearly adding weight
Did not workout at the combine

Grade: A

Game Film

Pros

Understands his size limitations, knows how to beat bigger blockers
Never gives up on a play, great motor
Legitimate experience in coverage
Flashes of speed-to-power conversion ability
Solid performances against top-tier OTs (Andrew Thomas, Samuel Cosmi)
First-step burst jumps off the screen

Cons

Consistency is the key for him
Must further develop arsenal of counter moves
Needs to finish plays/tackles — comes up just short too often
Should be more disciplined in the run game

Grade: B+

Production

Pros

1st-Team All-SEC (2019)
Freshman All-SEC (2017)
Earned Defensive MVP in the CFP Semifinal vs Oklahoma — 6 tackles, 2 sacks
Never disappeared against strong OTs — multiple pressures in each SEC contest
Above-average win rates (13.1% pass rush, 6.9% run stop)
4 or more pressures in each of his final 4 games

Cons

Just 35 total pressures on 370 pass-rush snaps in 2019 (9.5% pressure rate)
Underwhelming sack/TFL totals — 9.5 sacks, 19 TFL in 24 career games
Not a ton of experience (just 516 pass rushing snaps)
Mediocre PFF grades across the board, even in his breakout season (2019)

Grade: B

Risk

Pros

3x SEC Academic Honor Roll, smart player
Honored with LSU’s sacred #18 jersey in 2019
Multi-dimensional potential at OLB
High motor & effort
Fantastic athlete (5-star HS recruit)
Young with a high ceiling

Cons

ACL tear wiped out 2018 season
Versatility is a question — lined up outside on 94% of snaps
Needs lots of technical improvements, good coaching
Consistency — too often does he embarrass an OT only to get the favor returned

Grade: B

Overall

K’Lavon Chaisson is a classic “tools” prospect — possesses all of the physical attributes needed to dominate, and flashes exactly that, but for some reason has failed to put it all together for an extended period of play.

Those physical gifts, however, earned him 1st-Team All-SEC honors in his return from an ACL tear despite lackluster production. Primarily thought of as a pure speed rusher, Chaisson brings an underrated power component to his game and is no slouch in run support nor in coverage.

While raw from a technical standpoint, Chaisson’s top-of-the-line burst combined with his size, flexibility, and overall athleticism make for an incredibly exciting mold that most coaches should be itching to develop at the next level.

Pro Comp: EDGE Shaq Barrett (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Projected Round: Mid-1st Round

Prime Destinations: NYJ, IND, ATL, MIA

OVERALL Grade: B+