2020 NFL Draft: AJ Epenesa leaving Iowa early for NFL

Iowa Hawkeyes star defensive end AJ Epenesa is leaving school early and entering the 2020 NFL Draft, bringing much-needed top-end talent to the DL group.

The 2020 NFL Draft is not particularly deep off the edge, but Iowa defensive end AJ Epenesa declaring himself eligible certainly gives the class a boost.

Epenesa took to his Instagram account to announce a heartfelt goodbye to the Hawkeyes faithful along with his intentions to enter the 2020 NFL Draft after three strong years at Iowa.

In three seasons with the Hawkeyes, he racked up 101 total tackles, 36 tackles for loss, 26.5 sacks, and a whopping nine forced fumbles.

He got off to somewhat of a slow start, at least statistically, in 2019, but he absolutely exploded down the stretch with a memorable string of games from the start of November through the Hawkeyes’ bowl victory over USC in late December.

Going up against Austin Jackson in that game, Epenesa wore down the future first-round prospect at tackle and was winning with any combination he wanted of length, strength, violent hands, speed, speed to power, and anything else he utilized.

What makes Epenesa such an attractive option for NFL teams in the first round is not only his physical traits that can’t be taught — the dude is 6-foot-6, 280 pounds — but his advanced technique and versatility as an edge defender, capable of playing anywhere from the 3T all the way out to the 9T.

Ultimately, I think Epenesa’s full-time job in the NFL is going to end up being somewhere closer to the 5T spot where his length, ability to convert speed to power, as well as violent hands will help him not only set the edge in the running game but be a force as a pass rusher.

Epenesa should go somewhere within the top 20 picks, but he’s a legit first-round player and could give the Hawkeyes back-to-back top 10 draft picks after TJ Hockenson went to the Detroit Lions in the top 10 of the 2019 NFL Draft.