EDGE, Penn State
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 257 lbs
Class: rs-Sophomore
There is plenty of talent available at edge rusher in this year’s draft and one of the names circling the first round is Penn State’s Jayson Oweh. Whilst he doesn’t have the production of some of his classmates, he makes up for it with some of the best physical tools in college football. He has had limited playing time at Penn State, but his high ceiling makes him a truly appealing prospect.
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Strengths
Oweh’s biggest strength by far is his athleticism and physical tools. He ranked fourth on Bruce Feldman’s 2020 Freaks List and it is easy to see why. Oweh has recorded a 10’7″ broad jump and reportedly run a 4.33 40-yard dash. No edge rusher has come close to this in the last 20 years of the Combine and Shaquem Griffin is the only other pass rusher to run sub 4.4. A 4.33 would have made Oweh the third fastest player at last year’s Combine, regardless of position.
Oweh pairs this speed with excellent length, making him a nightmare for opposing linemen. He is one of the most explosive players off the line of scrimmage and showcases excellent bend and twitch. His hands are strong too, with good placement and usage. He has shown that he is capable of winning with speed or power and has enough physicality to his game to translate well to the NFL.
One of the biggest knocks on Oweh before the 2020 season was his lacklustre run defense. He has improved immensely this year and has been excellent at setting the edge for the Lions. Per PFF, he ranked 414th of 515 eligible FBS edge rushers in run defense grade last season. In 2020 he has jumped all the way to third, with an 89.8 grade.
From a pass rushing perspective, Oweh has shown promise in limited reps. Despite just 409 career pass-rushing snaps, he has racked up 54 total pressures. Whilst he did not register a sack this season, he accounted for 20 pressures on 171 pass-rushing snaps. His 18 per cent pass rush win rate is solid and shows that he was consistently able to beat his man. You can see how dominant he can be in the clip below against Indiana.
Weaknesses
Oweh is the embodiment of a project player. Whilst he has all of the tools to be an elite pass rusher, he hasn’t put them together on a consistent basis. He has shown promise, but he hasn’t had a truly dominant season of pass-rushing production. Sacks don’t tell the full story, but the fact he hasn’t had one all season will be a concern for some. Perhaps more notable is that half of his pressure this season came in a single game.
Oweh also remains raw from a technical perspective. He struggles to combo his pass rush moves and can get stuck on blocks if his initial plan fails. This is no surprise as he only became a starter for the Lions this season. With 744 career snaps he is inexperienced and that shows up on tape. Neither of these weaknesses are red flags, but they will both likely limit his immediate effectiveness.
Bottom Line
Oweh will be an interesting evaluation when the draft rolls around. There are many pass rushers who are more polished and productive, but few can match his athleticism and potential. He needs to develop the technical aspect of his game, but there is no doubt that Oweh has one of the highest ceilings in this draft class.
Big Board Rank: #22
Positional Rank: #3
