The ninth out of ten children, Oday Aboushi grew up very familiar with the physicality needed to battle in the trenches on the football field. He started at right tackle at Virginia before switching over to the left side and earning recognition as one of the best offensive lineman in the ACC.
NFL Draft 2013: Oday Aboushi prospect profile
Virginia offensive tackle Oday Aboushi has the size needed to succeed at the next level, but his athleticism will likely slide him down to a second or third round pick.
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
The 44th rated player on the Mocking the Draft big board and the fifth-rated tackle, Aboushi has a lot of the skills needed to succeed at the next level, but must continue to work on his game.
Pros:
Size: At 6’6, Aboushi already has the length and also has the frame to pack on more pounds.
Attitude: He possesses the right attitude both on the field and in the film room. On the field he loves to hit and take his man to the ground whenever possible. During the week he is vigilant about watching video and critiquing his own play.
Watch Aboushi at work against UNC in this video from draftbreakdown.com.
Cons:
Athleticism: He lacks the quickness and athleticism needed to stop speedy pass rushers coming off the edge at the next level.
Mental Errors: Dane Brugler of CBS Sports notes that Aboushi needs to work on reducing his number of penalties.
Quotables:
- Matthew Fairburn of Mocking the Draft projected Aboushi to the Colts in a Jan. 7 mock draft.
Oday Aboushi is an intriguing prospect. He has outstanding athleticism and just needs some seasoning to become a quality tackle in the NFL.
College Stats:
- All-ACC first team and UVA team captain as a senior
2013 NFL Combine performance:
While Aboushi looked the part at the combine, measuring in at 6’2, 308 pounds with some of the longest arms and largest hands of the offensive line prospects. However, he struggled in the timing drills and finished with one of the slowest 40 times of the entire combine, clocking in at 5.45 seconds.
His vertical jump (23.5 inches) wasn’t very impressive either and he struggled in the upper body strength test as well, managing just 17 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press, the fewest among offensive lineman. While tape reigns supreme, the poor showing by Aboushi will make scouts take a second, more critical look.
Twitter:
- Follow Aboushi @AboushiBands72
Officially done with college ball. Had a great time at the #SeniorBowl competing with the top talent in the nation. Wahoowa!
— Oday Aboushi (@AboushiBands72) January 27, 2013
Recent News:
- Aboushi struggled a bit during the Senior Bowl. He measured well, but ultimately trailed other tackles. Walter Football labeled him as a player who saw his draft stock slip over the week.
Oday Aboushi struggled in Mobile. He looked slow when trying to block in the one-on-one drills. He was also whistled for a penalty during the game. He’ll have to move inside to guard because he’s just not athletic enough to be outside.
Conclusion:
There is no doubt Aboushi needs to improve and his Senior Bowl didn’t exactly help, but he still has the tools to succeed and will likely be selected in second or third round. Most experts project him as a right tackle in the NFL.
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