Kevin Pierre-Louis, an NFL Star in the Making

In four seasons at Colorado State, Kevin Pierre-Louis (KPL),  was the backbone of the Ram defense. His consistent play in both the pass and run game, made him one of the best safeties in the Mountain West, and his physicality is going to make him an attractive option when the NFL Draft comes around.

KPL’s 82 tackles ranked second highest on the team in 2015, and his average of 6.8 tackles per-game, ranked sixth in the Mountain West, but Pierre-Louis was not invited to participate in any postseason all-star games or the NFL Combine. Flying somewhat under the radar, KPL has not given up his NFL hopes and dreams.

In a January interview with BSN, Pierre-Louis’ trainer Kerry Bennett spoke of the work KPL is putting in preparation for the draft.

“He is a very enthusiastic person,” Bennett said. “He has passion for life. You can just tell, man. He comes in with a big smile on his face. Ready to go. Wanting to get better.”

https://twitter.com/trainerkb/status/692508083482968064

Price, who played football at Stephen F. Austin State and had a brief stint with the Washington Redskins, believes KPL can play at the next level.

“He’s quick, he’s explosive, he has great size,” Bennett said. “All that’s going to translate onto the field for him. He’s definitely going to turn some heads when he gets an opportunity to show people how well he can run and how explosive he is.

“His most impactful thing is he’s able to make solid tackles,” Bennett continued. “He’s able to close fast on runs. He can break to the ball fast. He has a lot of range. He’s definitely intimidating as far as bringing the big hits, creating turnovers.” Bennett told BSN writer Rich Kurtzman.

KPL flies all over the field, and like a heat-seeking missile, he destroys the target. Pierre-Louis earned the nickname hitman for his brutal and bone crushing hits on opposing receivers. In a pass-heavy league, safeties like KPL are extremely valuable, which is why the good ones rarely hit the market.

Playing at the mid-major level, KPL will not receive the attention leading up to the draft, that he should be. For four years, he played at a high level, and consistently battled on a weekly basis. His work ethic is uncanny, and his leadership on and off the field, makes me believe he will be on an NFL roster this fall.

The safety is often called the quarterback of the defense. Sure, getting an invite to the NFL Combine would have helped his draft cause, but if you look at the film and statistics, it is obvious that this kid can play at a high level. NFL franchises do not care where guys played, they just want guys that can play, and KPL can play.

Where he will end up is a mystery, and it is tough to say what round KPL would be selected in, but multiple NFL scouts at the Colorado State Pro Day said that they believe he will be selected at some point NFL Draft weekend, April 28-30.

It was a pleasure to watch KPL compete at CSU. He is a warrior on the field, and will go down as one of the best defensive players in Colorado state history, which includes players like Joey Porter, Clark Haggans, and Shaq Barrett.

KPL has the work ethic and mindset to play at the next level, and no matter what happens Draft weekend, he will make an NFL team very happy someday, that I truly believe.

Ram fans everywhere will miss the impact he had on the field, and his crushing hits every week. Players like KPL do not just come around. His future is bright, and I look forward to seeing him compete on Sundays.