Jayson Oweh: The Biggest Project of the 2021 NFL Draft

Penn State edge rusher Jayson Oweh is one of the more polarizing prospects in the 2021 NFL draft. In terms of traits, he has everything you could ever ask for in a pass-rusher. He is a raw athlete with elite speed and quickness. At 6-foot-5 and 252-pounds, Oweh possesses the prototypical size and exceptional length for an NFL edge rusher. However, the concerns begin with college production or lack thereof.

Generating 7 sacks in 3 seasons at Penn State will cause some teams to cross Oweh off their list completely, but they will be missing out. An athlete like Oweh just needs time to develop, and he can if coaches give him the right opportunity.

The intangibles Oweh possesses are scary. A 4.33 40-yard-dash time is impressive regardless of position, especially as an outside linebacker. A 36.5 in vertical proves his explosiveness to get off the line and attack the quarterback. He did not manage to show off much at Penn State, but adding more polish to his game gives him all the potential in the world.  

Minimal college production is not the end of the world for prospects entering the NFL. Similar to Oweh, Danielle Hunter totaled 4.5 sacks in 3 seasons at LSU before blossoming into a stud edge-rusher at the next level. Hunter had all the elite traits necessary, just took him a couple of years to put it all together before becoming a menace to opposing quarterbacks.  

Given his size, Oweh profiles as a 3-4 outside linebacker. A team like the New York Jets own an early pick in the second round and are in the market for a pass-rusher. A developmental Jayson Oweh would be a perfect scheme fit for the future.

Teams cannot throw Oweh into the fire on Day 1 and expect elite production, if he is given time to develop and used as a situational pass-rusher for the early part of his career, then he has all the potential to turn into a budding star.

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