Big Red
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- Mar 16, 2019
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While Kinlaw isn't as refined, his combination of length and natural ability makes for an enticing prospect. He had 35 tackles and six sacks in 2019.
Kinlaw took a different path to the NFL than Brown, who was a five-star recruit. Kinlaw had stretches of homelessness in Washington, D.C. as a child and didn't have grand gridiron dreams after high school.
"I didn't go to junior college for football, really," Kinlaw said. "I just went because I had somewhere to sleep. I had free food to eat. That's really why I went. I didn't really go with the expectation like, 'Man, I'm going to go to the SEC. I'm going to go to the league.' I went because I had somewhere to sleep."
Kinlaw gazed around the press conference room at the combine with a sparkle in his eyes, soaking in the moment.
"All the situations I was put in, I shouldn't even be here in front of you right now," Kinlaw said. "It's a big blessing for me. I take it serious. I'll never take it for granted, being here."
The Cardinals' interior pressure was inconsistent a season ago, which contributed to the woes against opposing passing attacks. In a division with Aaron Donald, Keim knows how integral it can be.
"Defensive line-wise, we just have to get better," Keim said. "We have to create more pressure, get stronger, more physical. I have a high level of excitement for Zach Allen. Corey is steady Eddie."
Keim acknowledged there are holes to fill, and has both free agency and the draft at his disposal.
It's easy to envision Brown or Kinlaw improving not just the line, but the defense as a whole. Brown noted that he was double-teamed constantly last season at Auburn, which opened advantageous matchups for others.
"If there's two on me, that means one of us is free," Brown said. "So somebody is about to come in and make a play."
Kinlaw loves the feeling of winning with a bull-rush move, something the Cardinals would certainly welcome if he joins the team.
"When you can take a man, and you know he's giving it all he's got, and you're still walking him back," Kinlaw said, "that's a very intimidating thing."
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