Prospect Watch: OL Kelechi Osemele
As the Jets journey towards the draft in April, I will examine prospects that could potentially be on the Jets’ draft board. Please feel free to leave your thoughts or suggest a prospect in the comments.
College: Iowa State
Measurables: 6’5″ 333 lbs
Projected Round: 2nd
Positives
Osemele is a large player with a wide frame which he can use against his man. He can play with a strong and wide base and push his man around. He uses his hands very well and has the size to step in front of defenders and make them work around him. He has a large wingspan and decent footwork. He plays his best in small areas when he doesn’t have to move his feet around too much.
Areas of Improvement
He has a slow first step and can get beaten easily on the inside. He will play with his pads too high and needs to learn to bend his knees more and play lower to the ground. He can be slow to redirect and isn’t as phsyical as his size would indicate. He doesn’t have good lateral range and will be limited to the inside or the right side. He doesn’t have a good stance and will often lose his balance. 
Analysis
Osemele has the raw talent but he definitely needs coaching in order to become a productive lineman. Right now, the Jets need someone who can step in right away, more or less, and Osemele is just not the answer. There are plenty of other lineman to be found who would be better suited for the Jets’ needs.
Osemele Highlights
Not much to report here, there is a short clip below that in which he dominates his man but at this point in his career, don’t expect that often.
46 Responses to Prospect Watch: OL Kelechi Osemele
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#1defense says:
Osmele stinks.
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boogie down says:
Apparently, Jason Smith (former #2 overall pick of the Rams) may get released. Obviously, he stunk, but presumably has the skills that made him such a coveted player when he was drafted. Would you guys want to take a chance with him? Maybe not as a starting RT, but as a sort of reclamation project?
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Cautiously Optimistic says:
Jason Smith coming out of Baylor was mainly known for being very quick and agile for his size, not a mauler. If that hasn’t worked out, I doubt he’d be a viable reclamation project/future starter. Especially with Sparano coming in and installing a more conservative, run-oriented offense.
Not the right time for Jason Smith. Honestly this team is better off giving Vlad everything they have to see if he can improve.
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john says:
What about Johnathan Martin or Mike Adams…both could play RT immediately…..
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mike francesser says:
Martin yes, but he’ll probably be gone at 16. Adams only if we can trade back a little and get an extra second rounder…and even then I’m not sure; I’d pass if Mercilus or Upshaw is there for us to draft.
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What I mean is, How about write-ups on these guys instead of guys like sEMELE…..
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Ahh. My mistake. I’d assume they are coming. I remember a few days ago somone asked speciffically about O’smelly.
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GangJet says:
The Jets OL needs someone that can step righ in, not another project. Sanchez got killed last season and we can not afford the same this coming season, if available, I think Carl Nicks would be the right guy
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Brendan says:
Uh, “raw talent that needs coaching.” Sounds like Vlad to me.
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CWPOST1993 says:
Give Vlad a break – Give a full camp with pro teaching —
Then we can judge him – He going to be good – give him a chance
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jameson says:
At the Senior Bowl he got caught holding a lot to make up for his slow feet. I hope we find a big mauling OG through free agency (Mathis, Grubbs, Chilo), and draft a pro-ready RT to compete with what we have on roster (Vlad, and the other 6’7,333 monster we swooped from the Ravens’ practice squad).
Also, Vernon Carey (6’5, 340) would be a nice veteran presence for depth, at either position.
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Daniel Krauss says:
I know this is off topic but could the Jets afford Stevie Johnson? If so the Jets wouldn’t need to draft a WR in the draft. Maybe in the 1st rd take Jonathan Martin/ David DeCastro if open. If they’re not open theres 2 options to do:
1.) Select Upshaw or Mercilius
2.) If both are gone then trade back into the 20′s (before the Lions) and select Mike Adams.-
If we signed Johnson we would be shooting ourselves in the foot.
Guys like Meachem or Manningham may be better fits. Plus this years draft is not a bad one to spend a pick or 2 on a WR.
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juunit says:
A big fat guy named Oh-So-Smelly? Come on…
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Alex says:
We need to sign a Free Agent RT, not draft another kid. We have a glaring need a position we cannot afford to swing and miss on again. Without a quality RT, and we won’t know about these prospects until we get them in camp competing against other pros, our next season is doomed to failure as was the previous. Spend the early picks on S,OLB, WR, RB…Go and sign a player that has proven he can play RT at an NFL starter level…
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Tom in Raleigh says:
No way do I want to see this team take a S with an early pick. This draft is a barren wasteland of S talent as far as I have read. They need to sign a FA. RT should be handled that way as well.
OLB is the number one need IMO. I won’t cry if we get a WR though.
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A lot of places have us picking S Mark Barron with our first pick. He is the best Safety in the draft, represents decent value, and fills a need. We need two new starting Safeties, I highly doubt we can affordably find two on the free agent market…
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An improved pass rush takes pressure off of the secondary. The fact that the Jets have so much trouble applying consistent pressure on the quarterback makes it that much harder on the safeties.
I just don’t see Barron as good value at pick 16.
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+1 well said.
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He doesn’t represent good value. Everything that I have read says that he doesn’t have fluid hips. Good hip movement is one of the top things you look for in a DB, including safety…and our safety needs to be able to cover TE’s well.
I would like to see the team start by signing Griffin from TN…and then figure it out from there.
A good, consistent pass rusher is what this team most needs. The safeties will be less exposed then.
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Have you even seen Barron play? The kid is going to be an above-average Safety at worst for a long time. Last I checked, the Patriots have two TE’s that we haven’t been able to cover ever. We need a pass rusher also, but Safety is a terrible need for this team; and not just one…Signing Griffin is a pipe dream. We will not have the cap space to sign him and address our other holes. Barron is the best Safety in the draft, by a lot, and he represents adequate value for our draft position. This is a no-brainer.
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joeyboy79 says:
“This is a no-brainer.” But we have T running the show.
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We need to give Vlad a chance every year hes been learning a new position that he wasnt playing in college and last year he didnt even have a full Training Camp. Can he at least get some continuity and Coaching?
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I think that Vlad is going to surprise some people. He has all the physical tools to play in this league and became a nice extra blocker for the team last year.
I would like to see what he can do with another full training camp and playing in a new scheme.
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Im also starting to warm up to the idea of picking Upshaw, people have called him BT but hes better than that because he has pass rush moves the Terrell Suggs comparison is closer to Upshaw than BT.
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mattm says:
Forget Ducasse-he was a terrible draft pick.. Draft DeCastro if he’s there (doubt it). If not, draft Glenn and plug him in at RT. Rookies can start at RT.
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I don’t like investing a #1 overall pick for the easiest OL position to fill. That pick should go to a much harder position to fill, like WILL LB or something.
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Totally agreed. No need to draft a right tackle #1 overall. We need a pass rusher.
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Easiest position is RG. Jets have shown they are not interested in drafting pass-rushing OLBs even though that has been a need for years.
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A need that can no longer be ignored.
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I said that last year. They’ll have to prove it now.
Glenn was outstanding all week at the Senior Bowl at LT, which was remarkable at 6-6, 347.
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They tried and whiffed on the pass rusher…Gholston. So they were interested…they just did it badly.
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Last year was the year for OLBs and they didn’t draft one in any round. This year, they all have question marks.
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Green Lantern says:
D-line was an issue as well though last year, so we drafted Wilkshake and he is a really good 3-4 DE and he’s only going to get better.
Id rather have Wilkerson than Brooks Reed, Reed is the only OLB that fell to us last year btw.-
and Reed was the obvious choice, I thought.
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Casey says:
1st round pick should definitely be a pass rusher. Also is it possible to add a tab on top of the page that says prospect watch and when you click that have links to all the other write ups on prospects you guys have done? I love reading up on the write-ups you guys do and it would be easier to find them in one place rather then going into the archives and try and find them.
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Wow-you guys edit responses for content here? Not even for bad language?
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You guys didn’t edit me? Lost some of my post. If I did it- I apologize.
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frankc says:
yep we’ll see what Vlad can do in ’12. I wonder if he can pick up the pro game mentally. we’ll see this year. some guys can come in and get it but coming from UMASS I guess it was too much for him.
Draft Upshaw. they need youth at LB. Even if he’s not great to start. Plus, it should make Pace more effective.
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Revis Christ says:
We need a pass rusher in the first round. No Mark Barron, No RG, no WR. a PASS RUSHER,A WILL LB, SOMEONE WHO CAN PRESSURE THE QB ON HIS OWN!!!!!!!!
Address Saftey in FA. Maybe draft a lineman in the later rounds. I wouldnt mind if we picked up 2 pass rushers. Bottom line is we need a damn pass rusher.
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iggy mc gee says:
I don’t see how you decide in January what position you want in round 1 of the draft 3 months down the road. If you need an OLB to rush the passer and the only one left at 16 is the 35th rated player on your board, do you reach for him? If Trent Richardson is still available at 16, do you take him or the OLB rated 35th. I’m taking TR or I’m trading down.
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A lot of mock drafts have T Richardson falling to Cinn. at 17. If he is available when the Jets turn comes I sure hope they pick him. Greene gets banged up every other game, McKnight is good for taking LT’s place and Powell has not impressed. If we want a running game that will open up play action, Richardson is the way to go. I know other teams have gotten lucky with later round picks at RB but T-Rich 2 is a pretty much sure thing vs. wishing and hoping.
There are a couple of good OLB prospects who will be available in the 2nd and third round if we need to go there after free agency as well as safety prospects who can actually cover a TE. That said, ROT has to be the priority over safeties and OLB’s. The Jets D from this past season would improve if the Offense could cut down the number of three and outs. T-Rich and a ROT would do that. Mike Admas or Levy Adcock in the second round woulld be great.
I think Branch (Safety from Raiders)might be doable in FA for the Jets and resign Leonhard. E. Smith they can probably get back for close to league Min. and will be the back-up and special teams guy with Tracey williams for depth.
Bruce Irvin, Shea McLellan (OLB)or George Iloka , Harrison Smith (S)in the third round. The thing I like about these guys in the third is they all have pretty good speed and could be used in the Jets Nickel package to cover TE’s but still play the run tough.
Vlad 2.0…….pass………