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2019 NFL Draft Prospects Who Must Step Up in Week 3

By Shawn Spencer

LUBBOCK, TX - OCTOBER 21: David Montgomery #32 of the Iowa State Cyclones makes the catch for a touchdown during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on October 21, 2017 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - OCTOBER 21: David Montgomery #32 of the Iowa State Cyclones makes the catch for a touchdown during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on October 21, 2017 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
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Ben Banogu 2019 NFL Draft
FORT WORTH, TX – NOVEMBER 04: Karson Ringdahl (15) of the TCU Horned Frogs sacks Shane Buechele (7) of the Texas Longhorns in the second half of a football game at Amon G. Carter Stadium on November 4, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Richard W. Rodriguez/Getty Images) /

Ben Banogu (DE – TCU) vs. Ohio State

Ohio State and TCU have yet to be challenged this season, so this should be the first true litmus test for both schools. The Buckeyes have one of the top backfields in college football, led by J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins has been equally impressive, leading Ohio State to two blowout victories and 129 total points.

To slow down the elite trio on offense, someone is going to have to create pressure in the backfield. The Horned Frog most likely to do so is left defensive end Ben Banogu.

Banogu spent the first two seasons of his college career at Louisiana-Monroe. There he starred as a redshirt freshman, starting every game and recording five sacks to go along with 14.5 tackles for a loss. After transferring to TCU, Banogu made an immediate impact, earning Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year honors with an 8.5-sack season. Through two games in 2018, Banogu has one sack and will look to add to that total against Ohio State.

As the left defensive end, Banogu will primarily faceoff against right tackle Isaiah Prince. This will be the 30th consecutive start for Prince, however, he has struggled in the past in big games. Per CFB Film Room, Prince allowed the most QB hits (five) and committed the most penalties (six) among all Ohio State offensive linemen in 2017.

If Banogu gets the best of Prince, expect it to be with a speed rush. The senior is one of the quickest edge rushers in college football and possesses the closing speed to finish the play and sack the quarterback. This is a very big game for Banogu as he’s viewed as a late day two or early day three pick.

While he’ll likely be moved to outside linebacker at the next level, a solid performance with his hand in the dirt could significantly improve his 2019 NFL Draft stock.

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