Who and what to watch at the 2020 NFL Combine: EDGE rushers

The Lions Wire staff has identified which EDGE rushers Detroit Lions fans should be watching at the 2020 NFL Combine.

The 2020 NFL Combine on-field workouts begin Thursday, February 27th in Indianapolis but the EDGE rushers won’t take the field until Saturday, February 29th.

This is the latest in a series of articles leading up to this year’s NFL Combine, where the Lions Wire team has identified players they will be tracking in order to determine potential fits within the organization.

If you missed the previous articles in this series, be sure to check out our quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive linemen, and interior defensive linemen previews.

EDGE rusher traits to evaluate

There are several on-field drills that emphasize a player’s abilities and the main areas Lions’ scouts will likely be focusing for the EDGE rushers are:

  • Bend, can they maintain speed when turning the corner?
  • Can they maintain balance when gearing up speed?
  • Reaction time, how quickly they transition.
  • Hand quickness and placement.
  • Head up. See the target, hit the target.

Chase Young, Ohio State

Suggested by: Bryce Rossler and Sonja Greenfield

The best player in the draft. If the Lions get lucky and Young falls to pick No. 3 — which is looking more and more like a possibility with the quarterbacks in this class — the Lions will likely run to the podium and turn their card in.

Young has a rare combination of traits. Size, speed, balance, bend, hand usage, and play recognition are all elite.

Young would line up at the down defensive end (DDE) position in Detroit with the option to rush from a standing JACK-like role at times. Despite the Lions just spending big money on Trey Flowers last offseason, the position is designed for two players to rotate through — creating constant pressure off the edge — with their additional snaps coming elsewhere (i.e. inside at 3-technique or at JACK).

Last season Flowers and Romeo Okwara rotated through the down defensive end position with Flowers seeing 62-percent of snaps and Okwara 53-percent. If the Lions land Young, they would split time between him and Flowers at DDE 100-percent of the time, while also being able to line them up next to each other around 25- to 30-percent of snaps.

A.J. Epenesa, Iowa

Suggested by: Jeff Risdon, Zack Moran, and Derek Okrie

A bigger version of Trey Flowers, Epenesa is expected to check-in over 6-5, 284-pounds and like Flowers, Epenesa can dominate from the DDE and 3-technique positions. He understands how to use his incredible length, is sound in his gaps, attacks with power, and is stout against the run. There may not be a better stylistic match between player and scheme in this entire draft than Epenesa and the Lions.

Bradlee Anae, Utah

Suggested by: Matt Urben

Anae played DDE under the Lions coaching tutelage at the Senior Bowl and absolutely dominated. Anae is more in the mold of Okwara, rather than Flowers, as he is capable of rushing from a standing position as well as with his hand in the dirt. He wins primarily with his first-step quickness, and while he will get knocked for his length (31.88″) he understands how to bend his body to maximize leverage. Once he establishes his front hand, he follows it with a variety of pass-rushing moves that keep offensive linemen guessing.

Curtis Weaver, Boise State

Suggested by: Scott Bischoff

Boise State used Weaver all over their defense, rushing him from the EDGE, from the interior, and routinely dropping into coverage, making him a true JACK linebacker. At roughly 265 pounds, he’s not as athletic or explosive as some of the lighter JACK linebackers in this class, but his intelligence, work ethic, and positional versatility will make him very appealing in the right scheme.

Julian Okwara, Notre Dame

Suggested by: Max Gerber, Scott Warheit and Ty Finch

Big things were expected from the brother of Lions EDGE rusher Romeo Okwara in 2019, but Julian had an underwhelming season that was cut short due to a broken leg, leaving a sour taste in the mouths of evaluators. Like his big brother, Julian is long, fast, quick, and athletic. Julian is expected to check-in under 250-pounds, and while he has the frame to add more weight, right now it negatively impacts his ability to set the edge. The lighter weight does allow him to drop into coverage, so depending on the team that selects him, he may need to maintain or gain weight. For the Lions, he would assuredly be a backup in year one with the upside to see significant snaps or start in year two.

Alton Robinson, Syracuse

Suggested by: Erik Schlitt

Like Okwara, Robinson was fantastic in 2018 but took a step back last season. He is a bit of a sleeper who the Lions got a long look at as part of the North squad at the Senior Bowl. Right now, Robinson can both rush the passer and set the edge but both need refinement. Like with Okwara, if the Lions grab Robinson, expect him to be a pass-rushing specialist in year one with the potential to play serious snaps or start in year two.