2019 NFL Draft: Ben Banogu could be another Jerry Hughes

Ben Banogu has done himself some big favors going into the 2019 NFL draft, so what exactly might teams be getting with him?

Position: OLB

School: TCU

Year: Senior

Height: 6’3

Weight: 250 lbs

STRENGTHS:

• Extremely athletic for his size. Ran a 4.62 in the 40-yard dash at 250 lbs. Then he jumped 40 inches in the vertical and a record 134 inches in the broad.
• Legitimate closing speed to the football. Once he finds it, he has the acceleration and quickness to get there before the QB can get it away.
• Shows the awareness for where the football is even through the muddy traffic of the trenches. Often does the smart thing by going for the ball rather than just the sack.

This is a showcase of how dangerous Banogu can be when he makes full use of his hands. He’s able to keep the tackle from getting into his body on initial contact. At that point, it’s too late. Banogu is too quick and too fast around the edge and would’ve had an easy sack or a strong pressure on the quarterback at the very least. That’s what can happen with speed and explosion when it has the proper moves to set it free.

• Seems comfortable in space. Has shown he can drop back into coverage without looking lost in his responsibilities.
• Particularly good at running delayed stunts. This is due to his fluid agility. He can change directions quickly and shows the patience to wait for the opening before hitting the open lane.
• Does a good job of not losing containment on run-pass option plays. Identifies where the ball goes and then flies to it once he’s certain.
• Explosiveness is there. When he’s allowed to get up the field, he pops off the screen and can often disrupt plays before they have a chance to fully develop.

WEAKNESSES:

• It’s frustrating to watch him with his hands. He’s so inconsistent with them and it ends up robbing him of prime sack opportunities. He won’t get away with that in the NFL.
• Power is going to be a question mark. Upper and lower body strength appear average most of the time, which could make him a liability as an edge setter against the run.
• Passive in his approach to how he attacks blockers. Doesn’t always have a violent enough punch or swipe. Let’s them get to his body too much.
• Once he’s stalled out on his initial rush, he tends to disappear. Doesn’t have the strong leg drive to push a blocker back or the upper body strength to shed them off.
• Doesn’t show the ability to convert speed to power on inside moves. If the tackle stops him on the outside he rarely has a counter to beat them.
• Appears smaller than ideal on tape and too often plays like it. Blockers can push him back too often in the ground game.

Pro Comparison: Jerry Hughes

How wild is it that Banogu bears such a resemblance to another former TCU great. The difference, of course, is that Hughes was a bit more productive. However, it took him a long time to adjust his game to the NFL level. His lack of size and power were problems throughout his first three years. Not until he became an outside linebacker in Buffalo did he really become the effective pass rush he’s been the past six seasons.

Projection: 3rd Round

The tremendous performance he had at the combine no doubt did Banogu a ton of favors. Teams are now certain he’s the kind of athlete he’s appeared to be on tape. Now it’s a matter of figuring out whether he can add more strength and learn how to use his hands effectively. Talents like this tend to go towards the second half of Day 2 in the draft. He’ll likely start out as a nickel pass rusher with a chance for more down the road.