Keenyi Pepe

Physical Profile

Possesses a towering, NFL-ready frame, standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing in the 320-330 pound range. Carries his weight exceptionally well with room to continue adding mass and strength in a collegiate program. His coordination, quick feet, and balance are rare for a player of his stature, allowing him to excel in space and against speed.

Play Style

Pepe is a patient and dominant tactician at left tackle. In pass protection, he uses his length and fluid footwork to mirror defenders, rarely getting caught off-balance. In the run game, he's a mauler who is athletic enough to execute reach blocks, climb to the second level to engage linebackers, and overwhelm defenders at the point of attack. His tape consistently shows him wearing down opponents over the course of a game.

Strengths

• Elite pass protector with a smooth, effortless kick slide and excellent posture. He effectively extends the arc, maintaining balance and control against edge rushers.
• Powerful run blocker who plays with a mean streak. He is quick out of his stance, gets his hands on defenders, and uses persistent leg drive to move them off the ball and finish blocks to the ground.
• High football IQ and advanced technique from playing at an elite high school program. He has faced top-tier national competition, earning accolades like MaxPreps All-American honors since his freshman season, and has participated in prestigious events like the Under Armour All-America Game.

Areas to Improve

• While his bend has improved, he can sometimes play too high, which allows quicker, lower defenders to gain leverage. Speed rushers can still present some challenges.
• Can occasionally get caught lunging or over-extending, though he shows promising reactionary athleticism to recover from these technical lapses.
• Needs to focus on consistently engaging his lower half on drive blocks to maximize his power and create more vertical movement in the run game.

College Projection

As an early enrollee with a college-ready body and a wealth of experience against top competition, Pepe is projected to compete for a spot on the depth chart immediately upon arriving at USC. He has the raw talent and technical foundation to develop into an All-Conference and potential All-American caliber starting left tackle within his first two to three seasons.

NFL Outlook

With his elite combination of size, length, and athletic ability, Pepe possesses all the requisite traits of a future high-round NFL Draft pick. His physical profile is what NFL franchises seek in a blindside protector. Barring injury and with continued development at the collegiate level, he has the potential to become a long-term starting left tackle in the NFL.

Best Fit

A pro-style or spread offensive scheme that values athletic tackles who can protect the quarterback in space and also create movement in a zone or gap-running scheme. His commitment to USC under a coach known for high-powered offenses is an ideal fit, allowing him to showcase his pass-blocking prowess while continuing to develop as a dominant run blocker.