2021 NFL draft: Pair of Florida State edge defenders should intrigue Chargers

Florida State cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. is on the Chargers’ radar, as the team has met with him twice now.

Samuel Jr. likely isn’t the only Seminole that Los Angeles has their eyes on, however.

Edge defenders Joshua Kaindoh and Janarius Robinson both present skillsets that are tailor-made for what head coach Brandon Staley looks for in players at the position.

Kaindoh, the former five-star edge defender, never quite lived up to his lofty billing as a recruit as injuries limited him to just three games in 2019 and seven in 2020. But he was a consistent defender when on the field.

He finished his collegiate career with 59 tackles, eight sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss.

Kaindoh lined up as a 6-technique defensive end and outside linebacker. He played in a 3-4 system in 2019 and got experience in 4-3 defense last season with the team’s new coaching staff.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Kaindoh is very impressive physically and athletically, owning the movement skills, length, impressive power, toughness and awareness to perform at a high level as a pass rusher and run defender.

The thing holding Kaindoh back is simply his lack of experience due to the various injuries sustained, but with his combination of size, athleticism and upside, he’s a player that outside linebackers coach Jay Rodgers would love to unlock his full potential.

Robinson, on the other hand, saw the field on a more consistent basis. In 42 games, 28 which he started, Robinson recorded 104 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks in his career.

Robinson played as a stand-up end. He mainly was used as an edge defender, but saw some snaps on the interior during goal line and lighter pass rushing packages.

Standing 6-foot-5, 263 pounds with 35 ¼-inch arms and an 86 ¼-inch wingspan, Robinson presents an eye-popping frame.

Length and strength is the name of Robinson’s game. He has great point of attack strength, is able to hold his own along the line of scrimmage and has the heavy hands and length to extend and shock offensive linemen, complimented with a solid first step quickness and speed off the edge.

Stronger in the run department at the moment, Robinson could benefit from developing his hands as he struggles to counter after initial contact.

The bottom line is that Kaindoh and Robinson are the type of edge defenders that Staley covets, considering they’re both lengthy and explosive players who can win at the point of attack.

Given the team’s need for more players to fill out the position, drafting and developing Kaindoh or Robinson could pay dividends down the down.