2016 NFL Draft: Edge Defender

This is an excellent class of edge rushers. We could definitely see a few pro bowlers in this group.

Joey Bosa-DE-Ohio State-6’5”-269-Top 10-98

Bosa is such a household name that it seems like he’s been in college football forever, but he’s actually only 20 years old. He contributed 7.5 sacks as a freshman in 2013 playing part time before exploding onto the national scene in 2014 with 13.5 sacks and 21 TFL to earn Big 10 defensive player of the year. In 2015 he started on the wrong foot, suspended game 1 allegedly for refusing to take a team drug test (someone has a crush on Molly, wink). His season didn’t go quite as planned, Bosa finished with just 5 sacks, though he had 16 tackles for a loss. Look, Bosa has been blown up in the media the last two years with J.J. Watt comparisons which is obviously too much considering no one has ever done what Watt is currently doing. And then anyone who takes Bosa down a peg takes him down too far. He is a legitimate elite 4-3 DE prospect no doubt about it. Some people throw out Ryan Kerrigan which is probably Bosa’s floor. But on the field he has lateral agility that’s backed up with a ridiculous 6.89 in the 3 cone along with a 4.21 second 20 yard shuttle. He has balance, bull rush, and plays a bit faster than the 4.86 40 he ran at the combine. Clowney was a better on field prospect in terms of upside but Bosa is a safer pick. If he dedicates himself to football there’s no reason he can’t be a perennial pro bowler. If Dante Fowler and Vic Beasley went top 10 last year there’s no reason Bosa shouldn’t as well.

Leonard Floyd-DE/OLB-Georgia-6’6”-244-1st Round-95

I saw this kid play 2 seasons ago and he was an absolute stud on the field making plays in the backfield, at the line of scrimmage and downfield. He has a long lean frame that I’ve hated the past few years reminiscent of Dion Jordan, Barkevious Mingo, and Randy Gregory last year. Floyd is the most natural/accomplished as a pass rusher of that group despite only 17 sacks over three years. He is also faster than Gregory (4.60 in the 40 including 1.60 10 yard split) and 10 pounds heavier. Floyd has experience on the edge and in the middle but his value is exponentially higher rushing off the edge with athleticism to spare in coverage. Despite everything I’ve said in the past about skinny edge players, Floyd is the best of the bunch as a pure football player and retains the same terrific testing numbers (39.5” vertical!). He clearly has room to build on his frame and should play closer to 255 as a 3-4 OLB ideally.

Emmanuel Ogbah-DE-Oklahoma State-6’4”-273-2nd Day-93

He has almost the exact same measurables as Ziggy Ansah coming out of school. Ogbah’s height weight is solid, plus he has Stretch Armstrong 35.5” arms and runs a 4.63 second 40 yard dash including a 1.59 second 10 yard split. As an athlete he tests out of this world. On the field, is a slightly different story. He doesn’t show the same burst and his effort can be inconsistent. Conversely he has great production with 17 tackles for a loss each of the last two seasons and 11 and 13 sacks in those two years. I’m not exactly sure what to make of this kid, but on the field he looks like a monster who has big numbers on the stat sheet and at the combine. Some are saying he’ll go in the second round but he has too much talent to make it that far.

Kevin Dodd-DE-Clemson-6’5”-277-1st Round-93

The four year player only starter one season for the Tigers and boy was it a good one including 23.5 tackles for a loss and 12 sacks. He started opposite the highly regarded Shaq Lawson which undoubtedly opened up opportunities for Dodd. He has a tall thick build that will be best served with his hand in the ground at the next level. He isn’t overly athletic (4.86 40) but he has a worker’s motor. Not much lateral movement but good hand fighting ability that he uses to win the edge. Also has a solid bull rush. He will be a strong side end on a four man front who could kick inside on passing situations. His movement skills, or lack thereof, remind me of Jared Allen. In the National Championship he lit it up with 5 TFL and 3 sacks. I worry about his dependence on Lawson and having only one year as a starter but I see some polished pass rush techniques, stoutness in the run game, and most importantly effort through the whistle.

Shaq Lawson-DE-Clemson-6’3”-269-1st/2nd Round-88

Lawson was the top prep school product 3 years ago, and after 2 years as a reserve (each year notching double digit tackles for a loss) he exploded onto the seen as a starter in 2015 racing up 25.5 TFL including 12.5 sacks. Playing across from Kevin Dodd no doubt helped, as well as Clemson seemingly always playing with a lead, but Lawson has the physical traits you want to see in an edge rusher. His solid height weight measurements are very good especially with the 4.70 second 40 yard dash he put together which includes a 1.64 second 10 yard split. I think he tested faster than he plays and comes in slightly behind Everson Griffin and Nick Perry for edge quickness.

Noah Spence-OLB-Eastern Kentucky-6’2”-251-2nd Day-87

Off field concerns galore. As a sophomore in 2013 he was first team all conference, in the Big 10, for Ohio State. He followed that up by failing 2 drug tests, getting permanently banned from the Big 10 and went to rehab for ecstasy addiction. I’ve never even heard of that. But to his credit he resurrected his career by transferring to Eastern Kentucky and earning All American honors, this time in D-1AA (FCS, stupid division names). On the field he has terrific get off speed as evidenced by his 1.62 second 10 yard split though it seems his 4.80 second time in the 40 got more publicity. He’s not the tallest and has limited stop start and lateral agility. I see him as a 3-4 OLB or sub rushing defensive end which is not a wide skill set, but a very valuable one. At the Senior Bowl he was great on the field and evidently the opposite in meetings so I think he’ll go day 2 but has better potential if his character checks out.