2020 NFL Draft: Notre Dame EDGE Julian Okwara scouting report

A 2020 NFL Draft scouting report for Notre Dame EDGE Julian Okwara.

Julian Okwara, along with Khalid Kareem, dominated offensive tackles during their time for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and were the heart of that defense last season. This 2020 NFL Draft draft class will provide a handful of first-round pass rushers and Okwara is a stand out prospect who will be in the mix.

Unfortunately, Okwara’s 2019 season was stopped short after suffering a fractured fibula, causing him to miss the final four games, including the team’s bowl game. Regardless, Okwara will come back healthy original self in time for the upcoming season.

Even after experiencing the concerning injury, Okwara still is a top ten EDGE prospect on most The Draft Network’s analysts’ big boards. Here’s how Okwara’s play throughout his college career has earned-and held-him those spots

Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 248 pounds
2018 Stats (13 games): 38 total tackles, 8 sacks, 21 QB hurries,12.5 tackles for loss
2019 Stats (9 games, injured): 18 total tackles, 4 sacks, 7 QB hurries, 6 tackles for loss

Okwara doesn’t always rely on his quickness to beat the pass protection, but rather with his strength and block shedding skills. Curious to see what he benches at the combine. He possesses an arsenal of pass-rush moves, utilizing his hands, arm length and flexibility at the top of the arc to maneuver his way through and around opposing blockers.

Okwara has a strong lower body, allowing him to drive opponents back into the pocket and consistently pass the line of scrimmage into open space. He likes to extend his long arms to keep his blocker’s hands off his upper body so he doesn’t get driven off his containment on the tackle box.

The agility and athleticism of Okwara are his best traits. He acquires the proper burst off the snap to quickly reach the open field and knows how to gain leverage against opposing tackles. He likes to get low and rips with balance to win on the outside. The pass rusher shows good leg drive when he blasts off the line and blockers struggle to get square with him. He explodes off his initial step and excels at running the arc.

An aspect of Okwara’s play that makes him stand out is his ability to drop back into coverage. He holds the speed and hip fluidity to get back into his zone in time from a four-point stance. He even played man coverage against opposing team’s running backs lined in the backfield. This can catch an offense by surprise and is just another element to add to Okwara’s resume.

In terms of improvement, he needs to work on his backfield vision and power. Okwara needs to learn how to read offenses better. He tends to lose his targets in the flow of the play and put himself out of the play. The aspect that could make Okwara drop past the first round is his lack of power and initial ‘punch’- struggling against the run game. He did not impress last year and will have to be more consistent as a player, especially in the NFL.

Overall, Okwara does have his concerns but is able to make up for it with his plethora of pass-rushing skills. He has great upside and has the capability to start wherever he’s drafted this April.

Team Fits for Okwara

I have Okwara projected as a late first-round to early second-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. I chose these three teams based on draft spot position, team needs and defensive scheme.

Seattle Seahawks (Pick No. 27)

Seattle’s defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has told reporters he wants to set a “market-setting contract” and the Seahawks are likely to give it to him after his impact last year.

Even with a premier pass-rusher like Clowney, the Seahawks defense had a hard time getting to the quarterback as they finished with a lousy 28 team sacks during the regular season. They need someone they can trust opposite of Clowney and selecting Julian Okwara in the 2020 NFL draft could address that issue.

Tennessee Titans (Pick No. 29)

The Titans are missing a quality pass-rusher at the defensive end position. Defensive tackle Jurrell Casey can’t do it all and Jeffery Simmons from last year’s draft is still developing. They were ranked 20th in terms of pass-rush win rate. Luckily, they seemed to have found another pass-rusher they can trust in outside linebacker Harold Landry. A defensive end pickup would address one of the few missing pieces the Titans need to get back deep in the playoffs.

Detroit Lions (Pick No. 35)

The Lions pass rush last season was more than disappointing. For reference, they finished the season with the league’s worst pass-rush win rate of 24 percent and just 28 sacks. The defensive line needs more talent but the Lions perhaps have other needs to consider with the third overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. Okwara’s brother, Romeo Okwara, plays defensive end for Detroit and I bet they wouldn’t mind playing together.