Tag: Da’Shawn Hand

Could A.J. Epenesa fall to the Lions in the 2nd round?

After a less than ideal NFL combine for Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa, the Detroit Lions could possibly land him in the second round

The NFL combine is an excellent place for a prospect to shine among NFL scouts, but on the flip side, if you flounder, it is magnified, and that is the case for Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa.

Before the combine, it was hard not to find Epenesa landing nearly in the top half of the draft, and thinking the only way the Lions could land the Iowa standout was trading down in the draft. However, with a showing that left many scratching their heads, his draft stock is taking a significant blow.

Epenesa was being garnered as one of the best edge prospects in this draft who has strength for days, and not only brings intense pressure against the quarterback, but has sound gap techniques leading to his sheer presence in the run game.

If Patricia could build a player in a lab, Epenesa would be the finished product who has drawn comparisons to Lions’ own Trey Flowers, which isn’t far off the mark, but the tipping point would be the weight between the two which accounts for the difference in athleticism.

The problem that people are running into with Espenesa is the lack of athleticism he showcased at the combine bringing into the question how effective he could be as an edge defender, but if anyone has watched Espenesa that is not his calling card. He wins with brute strength and technical ability, unlike a traditional edge rusher who makes their money with speed and straight athleticism like former Lion Ziggy Ansah.

Versatility is the name of the game when it comes to how the Lions view players and Epenesa falls in line with other Lions defensive linemen. They often look for players who can fill multiple roles and are not tied to a singular position like a pure edge rusher. Pulling numbers from current Lions Trey Flowers, Da’Shawn Hand, and Romeo Okwara, Epenesa falls right in line with what the Lions look for — potentially filling a role similar to Flowers with some Hand-like responsibilities sprinkled in.

 
PLAYER 10-YD SPLIT VERTICAL JUMP BROAD JUMP 3-CONE DRILL SHORT SHUTTLE
A.J. EPENESA 1.78 32.5 9’9″ 7.34 4.46
TREY FLOWERS 1.63 36.5 10’1″ 7.34 4.40
DA’SHAWN HAND 1.70 31.5 9’3″ 7.98 4.62
ROMEO OKWARA 1.73 33 10′ 7.38 4.53

Kent Lee Platte wrote an article for Pro Football Network that highlights that maybe not is all is lost for Epenesa. He compares Epenesa to the likes of ZaDarius Smith and Arik Armstead, who have gone on to have successful careers playing a similar approach as Epenesa.

Epenesa is one of those prospects where you have to trust the tape versus judging him only from his combine showing. If you watch the tape, you have a player who wins on multiple levels showcasing his superior strength and technical refinement instead of his athleticism. Some of his combine numbers were a little less than ideal, but he is a player who is impactful at multiple spots on the defensive line and shouldn’t be treated as exclusively an edge rusher.

Even though the potential of landing Chase Young is looking more feasible, the Lions need all the help they can get on the defensive line. With the potential losses of A’Shawn Robinson and Mike Daniels to free agency, the release of Damon Harrison, along with Da’Shawn Hand healing for an injury-riddled season, they need resources on the line. We saw how much the defensive line was affected by injuries and poor play, and Epenesa would fit perfectly in the versatile multiple schemed defense the Lions love doing.

The combine was not friendly to Epenesa’s draft stock. Because he is not a pure edge rusher, teams may be hesitant to take him high in the draft leading a potential draft-day tumble to a point the Lions could snag him in the second round, which would be a dream scenario for the Lions. If he is still there come the Lions’ second-round pick, they need to run that ticket to the podium and not give a second thought.