After accepting a Senior Bowl invite earlier this month, defensive tackle Jalen Redmond announced via Twitter that he’ll forgo the Cheez-It Bowl to begin preparations for the 2023 NFL draft in April.
Redmond, who tied for the team lead in total pressures with 28 according to Pro Football Focus, became one of the more important defensive players for the Sooners because of his ability to create penetration from the interior defensive line.
In 2019, Redmond led the Sooners with 6.5 sacks before opting out of 2020 due to COVID concerns. During the 2021 season, he recorded eight tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He also had the memorable fumble return for a touchdown against Iowa State that helped the Sooners take a 14-7 lead into halftime against the Cyclones.
Rumble rumble rumble. Big boy can scoot! đź’¨ pic.twitter.com/TWZbHGoAzc
— The REF (@KREFsports) November 20, 2021
Next Chapter ❤️ 💫 pic.twitter.com/qWCfuWcyBV
— J RED (@jalen_redmond) December 18, 2022
As for Redmond’s NFL prospects, participating in the Reese’s Senior Bowl should help him. He’s got an injury history that scouts and front-office executives will want to inquire about, but it will also give teams a head start on learning what Redmond is all about.
On the field, they’ll get a chance to see his burst off the line of scrimmage and ability to defeat blockers to provide an interior pass rush. A good week in Mobile could provide Redmond a bump in his draft value.
With Redmond opting out of the Cheez-It Bowl and Josh Ellison gone via the transfer portal, eyes will turn to Jeffery Johnson, Isaiah Coe, Jordan Kelley, Gracen Halton, and Kelvin Gilliam to provide an interior presence against a really good Florida State offense.
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