Bright Ugwoegbu, LB, Oregon State: 2018 NFL Supplemental Draft Scouting Report

Bright Ugwoegbu is one of the lesser known names in the 2018 NFL Supplemental Draft

Bright Ugwoegbu, a 2014 three-star recruit, started 20 of 30 career games at Oregon State. As a junior in 2017, he primarily lined up at outside linebacker in the Beavers 3-4 defense.

Ugwoegbu missed the final three games of the 2016 season as a result of an ankle injury. The injury required multiple surgeries and held him out of spring practice as well. He would go on to play in every game as a redshirt junior in 2017.

Prior to 2018 spring practices getting underway, Ugwoegbu was suspended indefinitely by new head coach Jonathan Smith. No reason was given for the suspension, however, Ugwoegbu had made it known that he wanted interim head coach Cory Hall to remain with the program.

Hall was not retained and is now the defensive backs coach at Central Michigan.

Rather than wait to have his suspension lifted, Ugwoegbu declared for the 2018 NFL Supplemental Draft.

Measurables
Age: 22 (September 30, 1995)
Height: 6’0” 7/8
Weight: 205 lbs.
Pro Day Workout
40-Yard Dash: 4.95 seconds
Vertical Jump: 33 inches
Broad Jump: 9’6”
3-Cone Drill: 7.38 seconds
Short Shuttle: 4.70 seconds
Games Watched: California, Colorado State, Oregon, Stanford, Washington

For his career, Ugwoegbu recorded 126 tackles, 17.5 for a loss, eight sacks and four pass breakups. He played for two head coaches and two defensive coordinators during his college career. 

Ugwoegbu possesses marginal size and solid length on a lean frame with adequate athletic ability.

Strengths

Bright Ugwoegbu displayed very good versatility as a member of the Oregon State defense, lining up as an edge rusher, left and right outside linebacker and nickel back.

Regardless of position, he demonstrates good mental processing skills as he reads the play and reacts quickly. An example of this can be seen in the play below against California.

Lined up as the slot corner just outside the hash, Ugwoegbu reads the screen almost immediately. After just one step back, he plants his foot in the ground and drives toward the inside receiver.

His quick reaction and very good angle allow him to elude the blocker and deliver a vicious hit just after the ball arrives. The result is a loss on the play and brings up a long third-down attempt.

When dropping into coverage, Ugwoegbu displays solid fluidity to get to a shallow or intermediate zone. He does a solid job of mirroring routes across his zone and in the flat before passing off the receiver to the next defender.

In the running game, Ugwoegbu takes aggressive angles to the ball and showcases good acceleration to chase the ball carrier down the line of scrimmage. As a result of this solid play speed, he’s able to extend his range and make plays outside the numbers.

Ugwoegbu utilizes a good burst to close on the play before finishing with a secure, forceful tackle. His very good finishing ability is evident in this play in which he records a sack in the red zone. The tight end to the right of the formation initiates contact with Ugwoegbu, but releases him after a defender inside starts to generate pressure. The running back is too close to the line of scrimmage after taking the fake handoff to slow the junior linebacker, who has a clear path to the quarterback. As someone who rarely misses a tackle, this ends up being an easy takedown for Ugwoegbu.

When he’s unable to get to the quarterback, Ugwoegbu shows good awareness as he gets his hands into the passing lane.

Weaknesses

In man coverage, Ugwoegbu lacks the speed and agility to stay with his man as a result of adequate athletic ability. In the Civil War against Oregon, Ugwoegbu makes the mistake of opening an inside lane for the Ducks slot receiver to run. Despite giving an 8-yard cushion, the receiver has already blown by Ugwoegbu less than 15 yards downfield. A better pass would have resulted in a touchdown, but it’s still a big gain for Oregon.

When rushing the passer, Ugwoegbu displays a marginal burst off the line of scrimmage. Once off the line, he plays too upright, losing all leverage and allowing the offensive lineman into his chest. Playing upright, his adequate balance hampers his ability to bend the edge and forces him to take a wide arc around the offensive line. He possesses an adequate repertoire of moves, relying heavily on a speed rush to get into the backfield. 

Once blocked, Ugwoegbu lacks the play strength to disengage and free himself from the offensive player. It’s not just offensive linemen who have their way with Ugwoegbu. As seen in the two plays below, a fullback and tight end are also able to manhandle the Beavers linebacker and open up running lanes for the ball carrier. In the first example, the Oregon fullback has no trouble latching onto Ugwoegbu, who is lined up as the right outside linebacker on the play. He’s able to sustain the block just long enough for the ball carrier to get through the lane and pick up a first down.

The Stanford tight end also had his way with Ugwoegbu, driving him from the middle of the field to outside the numbers in order to open the running lane.

Ugwoegbu displays an inconsistent motor as he doesn’t put forth the same effort on a consistent basis due to adequate competitive toughness.

Overall

Overall, Bright Ugwoegbu is a developmental linebacker at the next level who wins with awareness and his finishing ability. He’s not someone who possesses the athletic ability or strength to be a three-down linebacker. He is best suited to play as a nickel in a Cover 3 or 4 system where he can protect against shallow and intermediate throws to the outside, while still having help over the top from a defensive back.

Ugwoegbu is a long-term project who doesn’t have a true position. His size resembles that of a safety while his athletic scores are closer to defensive linemen. A year or two on a practice squad are likely in Ugwoegbu’s future. Ultimately his ceiling is as a nickel in passing situations, however, special teams is where he’ll have to earn a roster spot.

Next: Brandon Bryant, FS, Mississippi State Scouting Report

Only six NFL teams (Bears, Packers, Patriots, Saints, 49ers and Seahawks) attended Ugwoegbu’s pro day, which indicates a lack of interest before his disastrous performance. He ranks as the fourth best prospect eligible for the 2018 NFL Supplemental Draft, well behind the three defensive backs.

It’s very unlikely Ugwoegbu will be selected on July 11th, but he flashed enough on tape to warrant an invitation to camp.