Kaleb McGary grew up in the suburbs of Seattle in Fife, Wash. McGary was rated as the No. 2 prospect in the state according to Scout.com and Rivals. Since 2016, McGary started every game for the Washington Huskies as a right tackle. He was named to the All Pac 12 First Team in 2017 and 2018.
McGary tested as an above average athlete at the Combine. He posted a 0.7 sigma, which is in the 72.7th percentile according to SPARQ. McGary has a fascinating story off the field, which I fully recommend checking out.
Film review
McGary is a massive human. His game is built on being a mauler at the point of attack and moving defenders in the run game. Washington’s offense had a blend of zone and gap runs in 2018. They ran zone 57.2% of the time while gap accounted for 31.1% according to Sports Info Solutions.
Note: McGary (No. 58) is the right tackle in each of these clips.
McGary understands angles and he is a good mover at the second level. On this run, McGary gets movement on the edge rusher by using his outside shoulder. Then he makes his way to the linebacker to clear the lane for the running back.
McGary and the tight end combine to completely wipe out the edge rusher. His punch is so damn strong and I feel sorry for anyone who has to feel it. The impressive part comes after the first punch. McGary keeps himself under control to immediately prevent the linebacker from getting into the backfield.
As McGary moves to the second level, he has a firm understanding of angles once he locates his target. His movement is controlled, but then once he makes contact he turns the linebacker to the side to open the alley.
As I mentioned earlier, McGary just moves people. That’s what he does on this run. His footwork allows him to flow and land a strong punch while he’s moving.
As a pass protector, McGary shows similar nastiness. Once he gets his hands on the edge rusher, he wipes them out. This comes from his grip strength and hand use to combat any pass rush moves.
Washington’s passing offense didn’t require McGary to make many kick slides. As a result, McGary takes a short set where he can get his hands immediately on the defender. His control on the defender is an area that will help him if he transitions to guard.
McGary’s kick slide doesn’t look fluid, but as evidenced by his strong testing scores he does move well to cover ground. As the edge rusher attempts to rush the arc, McGary slides to him. Then, as soon as he gets his hands on him he throws him down.
McGary allowed five holding penalties in 2018, which could be an area of improvement as he enters the league. On this holding call, McGary’s doesn’t widen his depth enough. He does well to get his hands on him, but if his kick slide had a better angle he likely doesn’t need to commit the hold.
Fit with Carolina
McGary did have a pre-draft visit with the Panthers, which signals their interest in the former Husky. This came as a surprise to me because Carolina already has multiple starting right tackles on their roster. McGary made 47 consecutive starts at right tackle, but he does have positional versatility. Due to his strengths as a run blocker and his limitations on the kick slide, it wouldn’t be a shock if Carolina seems him as a guard. They could see McGary move to left guard while they sort out the tackle positions. McGary has plenty of upside, but he still has work to do to improve his technique as a pass blocker. Carolina should consider him on Day 2 of the draft.