Kiko Alonso was a highly-touted prospect coming out of Los Gatos High School in California in 2008. After redshirting his freshman year for the Oregon Ducks, Alonso only started a handful of games, and missed a season and a half due to two alcohol-related arrests and a torn ACL. Despite his early struggles, Alonso came on big in the second half of 2011 and had a great 2012 campaign; racking up 81 tackles (14 for a loss), four interceptions and two forced fumbles. With that said, let’s take a look at eDraft’s scouting report of this talented Oregon product.
| Ht | Wt | Class | Ranking | Projection |
| 6'3" | 238 | Senior | 123 | Fifth Round |
Strengths
Versatility: Alonso does well as a straight-line blitzer, as well as against the run. He also does a great when dropping back in man or zone coverage. This gives him the ability to play inside linebacker in a 4-3 or 3-4 system, as well as outside linebacker in a traditional 4-3 defensive scheme.
High Motor: Alonso is an extremely high-energy player with a motor that doesn’t stop. He’s the type of player that is going to go full speed for every-single play and always give 110 percent.
Weaknesses
One Directional: Alonso is great as a straight-line runner, but has an extremely hard time fighting around the outside of a blocker, as well as getting to a ball carrier when they change direction. Because of this, he’ll strictly be a one-gap blitzer in the NFL.
Awareness: At times, Alonso can lose sight of the ball and become confused. He is susceptible to falling for misdirection plays, and occasionally in coverage, he’ll stop watching the quarterback and turn to watch the receiver instead.
Bottom Line
Alonso’s alcohol-related issues off of the field will likely make teams wary of taking him very early; especially with the epidemic of similar arrests in the NFL in the last few years. That said, there’s still a lot of talent here, and with the right coaching; Alonso could develop into a starter and will make an impact on special teams right away.