Experience, intelligence, and leadership are some of the traits that make a successful offensive line prospect, and things that all 32 NFL teams are looking for in this year’s draft.

They’ll find them all in former Tennessee center Brandon Kennedy.

Kennedy is a battle-tested blocker with a ton of playing time under his belt. He spoke exclusively with The Draft Network about his decision to transfer from Alabama to Tennessee, his Pro Day performance, and what kind of impact he’ll have at the next level.

JM: You transferred from Alabama to Tennessee and played two full seasons for the Volunteers. Now that you’ve had a lot of time to reflect, how do you look back on your decision to transfer?

BK: It gave me a fresh start. It was the new opportunity I was looking for. I’m thankful for my time here at Tennessee. I was able to play two full seasons like you said. It went well for me. I was also able to complete two master’s degrees. I don’t have any regrets.

JM: You came to Tennessee to further your education and play more reps as a starter. You really became a leader in that locker room too. It’s incredible how quickly they welcomed you and embraced you.

BK: I brought a lot of the things that I learned at Alabama with me to Tennessee. It helped me become a leader. Going forward, I can eventually become a leader for my NFL team as well. I have to start out by taking my bumps as a rookie. I have to go through that phase but I look forward to being a leader at the next level too. I understand what it takes.

JM: There’s no doubt about that. There were a lot of general managers and coaches in attendance at your Pro Day. What was that like?

BK: One thing I’ll say about my Pro Day is that it came and went so fast. It went by really fast (laughs). I had a great time. I thought I had a good day. I achieved what I set out to achieve. I looked good during the position drills. They got a chance to work a bit more hands-on with us. We got coached up. I was moving well. Pro Day was a lot of fun.

JM: Tell me a little about the mentality you think it takes to be a successful offensive lineman.

BK: Intelligence comes first and foremost. That’s the biggest thing in my opinion. As an offensive lineman, every single play comes with an assignment. You have to understand what type of defense you’re up against. You have to execute your specific assignment. You have to take what the defense gives you. It takes smarts to do that at a high level. That’s the biggest thing.

Secondly, you have to be tough. As an offensive lineman, you’re hitting someone on every single play. Whether you’re in pass protection or run blocking, there’s a lot of physical contact involved. You can’t say that about any other position on every play. Those are the two things it takes to be a great offensive lineman.

JM: Those are great points. Speaking of assignments, what did Tennessee ask of you within the structure of their offense?

BK: I was the center in our offense. I was responsible for ID’ing the MIKE both in the run game and in the passing game. If I saw something specific, I could make calls and adjustments off of that. In the run game, I would either tell the tackles or the guards what to do. Those were the kinda things that my coaches expected of me.

JM: You clearly had a ton of responsibilities on offense. Do you see yourself playing the center position at the next level?

BK: I played the center position at Tennessee so that’s correct. My first two years at Alabama though, I played some guard. I do have a little bit of experience playing guard. I feel comfortable playing both positions, but the bulk of my experience has come at center. It’s only natural that I’m most familiar with the center position currently.

JM: That makes total sense. You’ve spent the last few months meeting with teams virtually via Zoom. What’s that process been like for you, and who are some of the teams you’ve met with?

BK: I played in two all-star games. One of those games was in Orlando, the other was in Hawaii. It started for me there. I was able to meet with a bunch of teams in person there. That was great. I spoke with a bunch of teams at my Pro Day as well. I’ve had a couple of calls as well. At first, it was a bit daunting. I’m speaking with NFL teams now. To even have that opportunity is crazy. It’s a blessing. I got used to it. I know what to expect now.

In speaking with teams, the main thing they like about me is my versatility. They’ve seen the film of me playing guard at Alabama and center at Tennessee. They know I’m an intelligent player. Those are two things that keep coming up in my meetings. In terms of virtual meetings, I’ve met with the Eagles, Giants, Titans, Steelers, and Bears.

JM: That’s terrific. There’s a lot of interest in you and it’s easy to see why. I’ve really appreciated your time today. In closing, why should a team use one of its draft picks on Brandon Kennedy?

BK: A team should use a draft pick on me because you’re going to get a consistent and versatile player. Day in day out throughout my time in college, I came in and worked my butt off. That’s what I did every single day. I talked about my intelligence earlier. It’s a big thing at the next level. Playing the center position exposed me to every type of defense. I’ve seen a lot of things and I know how to react accordingly. I can identify defenses as the center. My work ethic is going to be a big reason why I’m successful at the next level. I’m trying to be the best player I can be every single day. Those are the reasons why a team should draft me.