Marquan

McCall

McCall (6’3/379) was named a team captain and starter for Kentucky in 2021 with eight of his 11 career starts coming in his senior season. A bonafide space-eater given his massive frame, McCall should serve almost primarily as a run stopper in the NFL, with only 1.5 career sacks and 21 QB pressures to his name in 40 career games. McCall gets good jumps off the line of scrimmage and can be problematic for blockers even when double-teamed. He tends to show good awareness for the ball carrier and can disengage from a blocker to extend himself to tackle a running back coming through his lane. McCall was suspended for one game in the 2020 season for violating team rules and missed four games in 2021 due to an ankle injury. He will need to wow coaches in his run defense if he hopes to see the field.

McCall (6'3/379) is a stout, two-gapping interior lineman who took over as the team’s defensive line anchor when NFL Draft pick Quinton Bohanna departed. He suffered the injury in the first half of Kentucky’s upset victory over Florida last Saturday and will now miss a significant amount of time. It’s a tough loss, as McCall was originally ranked as the 114th overall recruit in the nation from the 2018 prep cycle according to Rivals. The Wildcats will be thin in the middle when they face LSU this Saturday.

McCall (6'3/379) injured his ankle during the first half of Saturday’s game, and he is no longer in uniform. The redshirt junior, who’s a critical piece of the Kentucky defensive line, also has his left foot in a protective boot.

Bohanna (6'4/361) is a crucial member of the Kentucky defense, as his presence in the middle of the defensive line is what makes the team’s 3-4 scheme so successful. The senior defensive tackle was unable to put any weight on the leg when being helped off the field, and he was later taken to the locker room via cart for further evaluation. Marquan McCall has been called upon to fill the resulting void.

McCall took a visit to Wisconsin near the end of January and received an offer from the Badgers a short time later. He indicated that the program had been in touch with him since the 10th grade. “Their facilities are just great and I like that red and white because my school is red and white also,” said the 6-foot-3, 223-pounder. “Their coaches talk to you and tell you what’s real, so the connection is just great.” Rivals recruiting analyst Josh Helmholdt notes that while McCall has potential as both an offensive lineman and defensive lineman, Wisconsin is looking at him as a guard.

The Wildcats have done well in bulking up their offensive line in recent times, landing a pair of four-star hits in Darian Kinnard and McCall. For his part, the 6-foot-3, 233-pound McCall ranks as Scout.com’s No. 114 overall prospect. Outlet analyst Allen Trieu calls him a “physical mauler.” McCall stands as Kentucky’s seventh commitment for the 2018 cycle.

“A player with good bulk, strength and a strong run blocker,” Haubert writes, “McCall could be a good candidate to come in and quickly contribute and work his way into the two-deep much like Landon Young did this past season as a freshman.” Haubert compares the 6-foot-3, 233-pounder to former Utah G Isaac Asiata, who was drafted by the Dolphins in the fifth round of this spring’s draft. ESPN ranks him as the No. 260 overall prospect in the 2018 cycle. Scout.com is considerably more charitable, slotting him into their master list at No. 114.