Preseason Player Profile: Khaled Holmes

Khaled Holmes

Center

6’4” 310 lbs.

USC

-Holmes is a talented player and isn’t too far away from being a lock in the first round.

-Holmes has a great frame, and he has experience as a center and guard, which should boost his stock.

-While Holmes isn’t overwhelming at the point of attack, he makes up for it with good technique. He squares up and give the running back a clear angle in the run game.

-He does a very good job recognizing when to move up to the next level. Sometimes back-seven players outrun him, but if he recognizes a disadvantage he usually throws in a well-timed cut-block that at least makes the defender change his angle.

-In pass protection he is very solid. He can sit down defensive lineman and can help set a clear pocket for his quarterback to throw from.

-You can see his football I.Q. when he allows defensive lineman to penetrate when they are taking themselves out of the play. Most interior lineman struggle to understand that sometimes the best thing to do is to let the defensive tackle rush himself out of the play, because it makes the defender hesitate more later.

-While no one really “neutralizes” Star Lotulelei, in their matchup last year Khaled definitely got the better of him. Whether in the run game or as a pass protector, Khaled has done a better job than anyone else I have seen against the mammoth that is Star.

-I could easily see Holmes being drafted before Alabama’s Barrett Jones in the 2013 draft. While Holmes hasn’t played against the top competition often, when he has faced very good/elite talent he has done very well. At this point he is my top center and his rematch with Star Lotulelei should be very exciting since both prospects should have a lot of attention on them by that point.