LSU football coach Ed Orgeron gave Arden Key his stamp of approval on Tuesday, but could he legitimately be better than Myles Garrett?
While SEC Media Days are a time to listen to the quotable coaches such as Nick Saban and Bret Bielema talk about anything and everything, they’re also there for fans to get a sneak peak at what the 2017 season could offer. LSU football coach Ed Orgeron gave fans a minor glimpse of what his defensive star, Arden Key, could bring to the table.
Although when he was asked about Key, he stated that he would be missing time due to an injury and even potentially a Week 1 game against BYU. Still, the defensive end/edge rusher is one of the top players in college football returning this season and could very well be next year’s No. 1 overall pick.
Could he be compared to Texas A&M’s No. 1 overall pick from the 2017 NFL Draft, Myles Garrett? If you ask Orgeron, he’d tell you yes. Heck, he even stated that he believed Key could be better than Garrett.
There’s actually some merit to that bold statement, so we decided to take a closer look. Here’s why Key will be better as a college player than former Texas A&M star Myles Garrett.
5. Key has added weight this offseason
The former four-star recruit took to social media this offseason to talk about the weight he’s been putting on. Just last year, he weighed in at around 230-240 pounds and now he looks to be closer to 255. With his 6-foot-6 frame, that’s great news.
On the other side, Garrett stood just 6-foot-4 and weighed in at over 270 pounds. He was a muscular machine in a smaller frame. Key’s added weight along with his tall frame should allow him to use more strength to overpower linemen instead of just trying to run past them.
Strength may be the main thing scouts are looking for to improve, but with 15 added pounds, presumably of all muscle, Key will be an even bigger force on the field this season. Not often do you face a defensive end with a 6-foot-6, 255-pound frame who can run a sub-4.70 40-yard dash with a high football IQ.
The added weight just puts him that much closer to Garrett’s level and he may just eclipse it during the 2017 campaign.
4. Myles Garrett struggled vs. the SEC in 2016
If there’s one major criticism of Myles Garrett from scouts and even Texas A&M fans, it’s that he didn’t rise to the occasion to help the Aggies win big games. Sure, he was getting double-teamed a lot, but Key has faced nearly the same attention from offensive linemen.
During the 2016 season, Garrett missed three games and two of those were against SEC opponents. There have been some out there who knocked his performance against the top-tier teams, and Key doesn’t shy away from the big games against elite programs.
In fact, Garrett finished with 19 total tackles and just three sacks during SEC play in 2016, something that almost cost him the No. 1 draft selection. How did Key fare in SEC action last year? In seven games, he recorded 35 total tackles and seven sacks. He recorded at least 0.5 sacks in every conference game outside of Alabama.
This is just more proof that Key didn’t shy away from big games last year while Garrett seemed to fly under the radar once SEC play began.
3. Arden Key has endless motor, speed
Another major criticism of Garrett was his motor. Granted, the former five-star prospect was injured for a majority of the 2016 season and played through it, but he was often content with staying with blockers and he was gassed more than expected.
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On the other hand, Key seems to never run out of energy. He has an endless motor and his speed around the edge is elite. If you watch his film, there will be some plays where his speed causes him to over-pursue a play because he doesn’t always expect to make it to the quarterback that fast — Garrett sometimes faced that same problem when he was healthy.
Both players’ over-pursuit can take them completely out of a play. That’s something that Key still has time to work on and he can wind up better than Garrett in that regard.
However, Key’s motor is something coaches have to love. For a high-energy coach like Ed Orgeron, Key is his ideal player. He doesn’t take plays off, gets off the ball as fast as possible and often time burns offensive linemen before they even have a chance to take a breath.
2. Key has larger repertoire of moves, longer arms
If Arden Key were to choose basketball, he would fit right in. What do I mean by this? Well, besides having a 6-foot-6, 255-pound frame that a basketball star would kill for, he also has long arms. His length is what can set him apart from the rest of college football’s elite pass rushers.
When you look at Garrett, you see a muscular guy who is forced to use his brute strength, although he does have elite speed for his size, to get past opposing linemen. Key has the advantage of possessing long arms which create separation from opposing linemen.
What do long arms have to do with anything? Well, it helps in the case of any type of move in the trenches. Also, it can create space between him and his opponent which makes it tough for anyone to stay with him and block him. How do you hold a block if you can’t even get close enough to keep him in front of you? You can’t.
Another knock on Garrett was the fact that he was so raw that he’d just try to out-athlete players. He didn’t have enough moves, and that’s something that Key has an advantage in — or at least he will by the end of the season.
1. Better defense surrounding Arden Key
This reason takes all the pressure off Key as a pass rusher. It’s easier to do your job when your co-workers are taking care of business as well and you don’t have to shoulder the load. Well, the same goes for college football players.
If you’ve ever noticed, it’s hard for a defensive player to stand out on a horrid unit. Myles Garrett bucked that trend from 2014-16. He starred on a unit that was arguably one of the worst in the SEC, and even the nation. Just last year, the Aggies ranked 90th in total defense, 91st against the pass and 80th against the run. That means the offensive line can double and triple-team him with no problem.
Fortunately for Key, his defense stands much taller. The Tigers have had one of the top defenses in college football for years and although they’re losing some key players, they still look to be on track to pace the conference, along with Florida and Alabama — and even Georgia.
When everyone else is doing their job, LSU’s defense is tough to stop and Key can take on an opponent one-on-one. That’s a tremendous mismatch.
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Key’s numbers from last year were impressive, but if he lives up to his potential during his junior year, he will eclipse them, as well as Garrett’s.