CONTENT

Post Draft Analysis
Youtube Highlights
ESPN Insider Draft Analysis (paid subscription)
NFL.COM Draft Analysis
NFL Draft Bible Analysis (paid subscription)
Pro Football Focus Draft Analysis (paid subscription)
Pro Football Network (Tony Pauline) Analysis
Bleacher Report Analysis

POST DRAFT ANALYSIS

Walter Football *
The Dolphins apparently felt it necessary to trade up for a guard after the Raiders did the very same thing. This was a smart decision. Solomon Kindley, a large lineman who moves well for his size, could have easily gone in the second or early third round. The Dolphins are addressing a huge need with him.
Grade: A+

Pro Football Focus *
Solomon Kindley didn’t even crack the top 250 on our board, and we didn’t view as anything more than a late Day 3 product. He has slow feet and balance issues that give us a cause for concern about his pass protection at the NFL level.

CBS Sports (Chris Trapasso) *
Kindley is a mammoth people-mover who grows roots in pass pro and will toss defenders in the run game. Very adept as a combo blocker. Better movement than his size indicates. Needs to get better resetting his hands when beaten by counter. Love this for Tua and Dolphins ground game.
Grade: A

NFL.com (Mark Dulgerian) *
The Dolphins trotted out an offensive line that allowed NFL worsts in both run stuff rate and pressure rate last year. They continue to build up a wall for their offense with the massive Kindley. He may be a year away, but he adds some "dog" to that line. -- Mark Dulgerian

Pro Football Network *

• Tony Pauline: Solomon Kindley was all over draft boards for a variety of reason. He’s another dominant small area mauler who will help improve Miami’s run blocking.
  
• Andrew DiCecco: The Dolphins continue to build around Tua Tagovailoa, adding Solomon Kindley to the offensive line. Kindley is a powerful interior player with the strength to anchor. His specialty is pass protection, but he plays with an edge in the running game.

Kindley played in 42 games with 32 starts, all at guard. He is wide-bodied with average arm length and big hands. He shows good awareness in pass protection but limited range. He's more country strong than powerful, and he ends up on the ground too often and falls off too many blocks. Kindley grades out as a backup guard with enough potential to possibly develop into a starter in the NFL. -- April 2020

Pre-Draft Analysis
Kindley is a massive guard with below-average arm length, He's a strong run-blocker but falls off blocks and ends up on the ground too much. He shows good awareness but doesn't mirror well in pass pro. He has started at left and right guard. -- Steve Muench

Player Bio

Kindley was a Class AAA second-team all-state pick at Jacksonville's Raines High School before moving north to Athens. The three-star recruit played in one game as a reserve in 2016 and took a redshirt. SEC coaches named him to their All-Freshman team after he started seven of 15 games played at right guard in 2017. Kindley's play as a 14-game starter at right guard his sophomore campaign gained him a share of the Bulldogs' Most Improved Player award on offense. He started 11 of 13 games played at left guard in 2019, missing some time with a lower right leg injury, and then decided to leave school for the NFL.

Analysis

• NFL Comparison - Denver Kirkland

Overview

Nasty guard who lives in scrap mode, looking for fights inside a relatively small phone booth where he's most comfortable. Kindley has the frame of a powerful guard, but doesn't bend well enough to generate leverage and push at the point of attack. He's a mauler with enough finesse to get to some reach and cut-off blocks, but faces scheme limitations. Slide quickness is limited and his tendency to lunge allows rushers to work around his edge earlier than teams like. The size and toughness are great, but Kindley needs to play with better control and technique in order to become an average NFL backup.

Strengths

• Wide frame from chest to ankles
• Plays with nasty disposition
• Seems to get into defender's heads at least once per game
• Hustles into cut-off positioning from back-side
• Consistent sliding feet around target to wall-off after engagement
• Power in hips and upper body to torque opponent off-balance
• Feet are a little more nimble than expected
• Adequate pop in hands in pass pro
• Hung in against South Carolina DT Javon Kinlaw's power rush

Weaknesses

• Helmet comes before hands into first contact
• Dips and strikes with headgear as weapon
• Poor knee bend to leverage and root out double-team blocks
• Struggles to keep blocks centered
• Below-average acceleration into block fits
• Wide base in pass pro opens him to counters
• Quickness to mirror and keep the rush in front of him is an issue
• Lunges toward rusher rather than sliding his feet
• Below-average reactive athleticism to catch loopers on twists

SOLOMON KINDLEY | Georgia | OL | #66 | JR | 6032 | 337 | 1000 | 3228
| 7768 | 5.50e | Jacksonville, FL | Raines HS | 07.3197 | NIC | 7.8/8.8 | Rd2

Overview:
A mainstay on the offensive line for the better part of the last three seasons, Kindley boasts a mammoth, imposing frame at 6-4 and 335 pounds. He is a super physical blocker who plays with outstanding effort on a snap to snap basis. In drive and down block situations, Kindley does some of his best work. Once he is able to latch on and gain leverage, defensive players have a hard time counteracting his power-momentum. An outstanding competitor, he clearly takes his one on one battles personally. As a pass blocker, he does his best work as a quick setter to use his physicality to his advantage early in reps. With a sloppily put together build and overstated length, space is not KIndley’s friend. When working laterally, he has a difficult time working half a man to gain leverage. Any type of zone concept in the run game is going to be a tough time for Kindley, lacking the ability to counteract speed working over gap to gap laterally. In pass protection, Kindley isn’t able to reset once his base is compromised. A lack of functional athleticism and length issues makes it difficult to reassert leverage. His aggressiveness in the run game can come back to hurt Kindley as times as well. He often gets too far over his toes, becoming a victim to getting his weight too far over his toes. Kindley is not going to be for everyone. For a team who employs a power heavy running scheme, look for Kindley to be selected during the mid-rounds and could develop into a starter down the road.

Background:
Full name is Solomon Terry Kindley. Raised in a single-parent household by his mother Lashonna Johnson. Attended Raines High School near Jacksonville, Florida, and was coached by Deran Wiley. Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals and ESPN, #40 OG nationally, and #99 prospect in Florida. Majored in Sport Management at Georgia.

Career:
Started 32 games at both guard spots during his three seasons at Georgia. He played through an ankle injury in 2019. A three-star recruit, he developed into a top-notch starter.

After seeing some action at right guard in 2017 and struggling in pass-pro, Kindley joined teammate Andrew Thomas, who was playing right tackle, in moving to other side of the line for the 2018 season. Kindley was the starting left guard for Georgia over the last couple seasons and was a far better player, ranking among the 15 best at the alignment in overall grade both years.

The move marginally improved his run-blocking, but his pass-blocking was night and day, raising his 61.0 pass-block grade in 2017 to 88.3 in 2018. Kindley allowed a few more pressures in 2019 and had just a 75.9 pass-block grade, but that was still above average relative to his counterparts.

Kindley is a big boy who thrived in the SEC by straight leaning on dudes. He got a lot of play by simply being 330+ pounds and being able to play with leverage. That play doesn't quite translate to the NFL though. It also got unceremoniously exposed far more often this past season than it did in 2018. He looks the part of an NFL player, but he's a late day 3 prospect.

PROS

CONS

COMPARABLES

SNAPS BY ALIGNMENT

Solomon Kindley, G

Career Snapshot:
Two-year starter at left guard. Made seven starts at right guard as a sophomore in 2017.

Positives:
Powerful, wide-bodied blocker who is best in a small area. Explosive and blocks with tremendous pad level. Plays with power, shows the ability to handle big, bulky defenders and gets movement as a run blocker. Stays square, keeps his feet moving and plays through the whistle. Keeps his head on a swivel and works well with linemates.

Negatives:
Minimally effective at the second level or in motion. Struggles to slide in space.

Analysis:
Kindley is a dominant run blockerwho is best in a small area. He’s a solid prospect for a non-zone-blocking scheme at the next level, and if Kindley could eventually break into a starting lineup on Sundays if properly coached.

OG Solomon Kindley, Georgia

STRENGTHS

—Made 32 starts at guard in the toughest division in college football and has played in high-stakes situations that will rival NFL environments.

—Excellent overall frame (6'3", 337 lbs) with adequate length (32¼") and size throughout; will have no trouble playing on the interior in the NFL.

—Has a bone-crusher mentality and looks to assert his dominance on every rep; plays like a throwback at the position.

—Much better footwork than expected given his size and shows the beginnings of a soft-footed pass protector; he reverts back to bad habits, but the fluidity flashes at times.

—Heavy-handed puncher who can deliver strikes and eat them just the same; won't get dog-walked into the quarterback's lap.

WEAKNESSES

—Drops his eyes into contact far too often; aside from being remarkably dangerous, creates natural balance concerns and an inability to latch on and drive.

— Average-at-best athleticism given his size; isn't able to remain square, which creates a soft edge for linebackers to rip through.

—Carries weight in his midsection and would benefit from building his body to carry the weight more evenly; could improve some athletic shortcomings with a focus on strength and conditioning.

—Has a tendency to stop his feet and be content with leaning against opposition at the line of scrimmage late in games; would like to see him keep his feet hot in critical moments.

OVERALL

Kindley often plays like two completely different players. Sometimes it's a tale of two halves, sometimes it's different games, but the worst is when it's play-to-play. He has to become more consistent in his technique to challenge as a starter in the NFL. He has all of the power, nastiness and fundamental footwork needed to be a good NFL guard, but he too often reverts to bad habits in his play to be more than a backup piece early in his career.

GRADE: 55

PRO COMPARISON: Rodger Saffold/Jamon Brown