Emmanuel Ogbah taken by Browns at top of 2nd round
Ogbah was one of the most productive defensive linemen in the nation last season.
With the No. 32 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns have selected defensive lineman Emmanuel Ogbah of Oklahoma State. Ogbah, 22, had a productive career with Oklahoma State and was considered one of the top defensive ends in this year's draft.
Ogbah has been overshadowed by other edge prospects in the draft, but he has the resume to back up his draft slot. He was named an All-American, was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Ted Hendricks award this past season. As a sophomore in 2014 he earned first-team All-Big 12 honors and was the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.
The accolades are there, and so are the stats. He led the conference with 12.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss with 19 quarterback hurries as a junior. The quarterback hurries number was reported as a school record, and he wrapped up his career with a total of 26.5 sacks.
But Ogbah does come with some concerns. Notably, he’s been an inconsistent player, disappearing at times and being taken completely out of games by elite offensive tackles. His ability to completely dominate one snap and then fly completely under the radar on the next is a major concern, making him particularly tough to scout for SB Nation’s Stephen White, a retired NFL defensive lineman.
The pattern of uneven play from Ogbah continued throughout the other four games I watched. I don’t think it was a lack of effort. However, it’s hard to explain how a guy can almost literally put you to sleep for stretches of a game in which he is so quiet, then have you almost break your laptop because you jump up out of your seat in excitement at one of the plays he does end up making. Especially when it appears that he’s going just as hard on most of the plays.
Ogbah impressed at the NFL Scouting Combine, posting a 4.63-second 40-yard dash, and his draft stock was on the rise after several strong workouts. He has the right size and build, and doesn't need to add any bulk. He looks like an NFL player, has the right ratio of speed and strength and plays as physical as he looks.
If there are weaknesses outside of his consistency, he does still seem a bit raw. He rushed from both the left and right side with Oklahoma State, but he mainly got by on his athleticism and will need to develop a full array of pass rushing moves at the next level to really excel and make a difference.
But there are few who think he can’t do that. Ogbah is an impressive player with impressive measurables, and all indications point to him being successful at the next level.
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