Tag: Felix Anudike-Uzomah

Mel Kiper Mock 3.0: Chiefs go with local edge rusher in Round 1

In his latest mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper sent an edge rusher with local ties to the #Chiefs in the first round.

Could the Kansas City Chiefs target a local prospect in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft? ESPN’s longest-tenured draftnik, Mel Kiper Jr., seems to think so.

In Kiper’s post-free agency mock draft, four quarterbacks are taken in the first five selections. Six cornerbacks are taken in the first round, which helps push down some talent in the trenches to Kansas City. Instead of opting for Clemson’s Myles Murphy or Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison, who are inexplicably still available, Kiper has the Chiefs selecting Kansas State edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah.

The Kansas City, Missouri native who played high school football at Lee’s Summit would return to his hometown team after being named a First-Team All-American and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2022. Here’s what Kiper had to say about the selection:

The Chiefs let JuJu Smith-Schuster leave in free agency, and their wide receiver depth chart looks a little thin. I thought about Jalin Hyatt (Tennessee) as a new deep threat for Patrick Mahomes, but I’m going to trust in Andy Reid’s ability to find contributors just about anywhere. That leads me to the edge rushers, and Anudike-Uzomah is a player I really wanted to get in these predictions somewhere.

There’s some buzz among NFL teams about Anudike-Uzomah after the combine. He had a great workout there, and he was super productive in college, racking up 19.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Kansas City replaced Frank Clark with Charles Omenihu, so Anudike-Uzomah likely would be a situational pass-rusher as a rookie.

I like the thought process from Kiper here. The team should always look to get weapons for Patrick Mahomes, but the Chiefs certainly need to add to their pass rush after Frank Clark’s departure. Anudike-Uzomah is a player that can help there immediately in a certain role even as a rookie.

Even if his 6-foot-3 and 255-pound size is on the lighter end of Steve Spagnuolo’s preferences, Anudike-Uzomah has got an incredibly impressive get-off. He’s clearly a student of the game given how developed his pass-rush plan is. He almost reminds me a bit of Tamba Hali when it comes to his hand usage and his ability to force fumbles (eight over the past two seasons). Beyond the story of a local kid coming home to help the reigning Super Bowl champions, I think this would be a slam-dunk football decision for Kansas City.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=217674209]

Eagles double-dip at edge rusher in Daniel Jeremiah’s latest 2023 NFL mock draft

The Philadelphia Eagles double-dip at edge rusher in Daniel Jeremiah’s latest 2023 NFL mock draft

The 2023 NFL draft is fast approaching, and with the Top 30 visits underway, all 32 teams are doing their due diligence on potential prospects.

Thanks to some draft night wizardry from Howie Roseman, the Eagles traded the No. 16 overall pick, No. 19 overall pick, and a 2022 sixth-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for the No. 18 overall pick, a 2022 third-round pick, a 2022 seventh-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 second-round pick.

We tracked Philadelphai’s picks via Tankathon, and after New Orleans went 7-10, Philadelphia locked down a top-ten selection.

Daniel Jeremiah released his third mock draft and has Philadelphia double-dipping at edge rusher.

Los Angeles Chargers four-round 2023 NFL mock draft Friday 2.0

Here is the second edition of four-round Friday, laying out different scenarios on how the draft could play out for the Chargers.

The 2023 NFL draft is creeping up, so we will supply you with in-depth coverage between now and then to inform you who the Chargers could target while they’re on the clock.

With that being said, this is the second installment of the four-round mock draft Friday, where I will lay out different scenarios every week on how the first four rounds could play out for Los Angeles.

2023 NFL draft: Pro Day schedule

Here’s a look at the schedule for the 2023 college pro days.

Now that the combine has concluded, the pre-draft focus shifts to pro days, where players not invited to the combine conduct their workouts to prove they’re just as worthy of becoming an NFL player.

Combine invites also round out their testing or hang around to meet with teams. Often, a staff’s attendance points you in the general direction of their thoughts heading into April’s draft.

Here’s the full schedule of pro days set to happen, starting on Tuesday, March 7.

2023 NFL draft film room: Kansas State EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah

See for yourself what makes Kansas State’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah one of the top edge defender prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class

It’s officially NFL draft season, so it’s time to get to know the best players at every positions in the 2023 class.

What makes Kansas State’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah one of this year’s top edge defender prospects?

Watch the tape and see for yourself:

Browns add dynamic playmakers and future assets in 2023 NFL Mock Draft

The Browns rebuild the defensive line adding playmakers.

The defensive line for the Cleveland Browns needs a massive makeover as well as finding a way to make the offense more of a threat vertically. There are some nice veteran defensive linemen to raise the basement of the roster in free agency though wide receiver talent will need to come in the 2023 NFL Draft or via trade.

The Browns also need to look at the fact that they do not have a ton of draft assets in 2024 when evaluating possible trade-down and up scenarios. Let’s check out how they could fill all the major needs in this Browns mock draft with trades.

 

Browns Mock Draft Round-up: Wide receiver continues to be neglected in mocks

There is still a lack of wide receivers appearing in mock drafts.

With the NFL Scouting Combine just a few days away, the 2023 NFL Draft picture will continue to become a clearer picture for the Cleveland Browns and the other 31 teams around the league. The issue, however, with all of the mock drafts coming out right now is they continue to overlook the need for a new wide receiver in an offense that was in the bottom quarter of the league in explosive plays through the air. Only LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte appeared in mock drafts around different sites this week.

Here is this week’s edition of Browns Mock Draft Round-up as defensive ends and defensive tackles once again dominate.

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 67, Kansas State edge Felix Anudike-Uzomah

Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Kansas State edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah.

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL draft.

A team can never have enough talented pass rushers and the Green Bay Packers are in dire need of more playmakers off the edge. 

With Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, and Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare the Packers have a solid trio on paper. Gary will likely miss the beginning of the upcoming season as he recovers from a torn ACL. Smith will be 31 in November and could be playing in his final season in Green Bay. Enagbare proved to be a solid rotational piece. 

Add it all up and the Packers need to add an edge rusher or two this offseason. Luckily for the Packers, the 2023 NFL Draft is loaded with talented edge rushers. 

A player that Brian Gutekunst could target on day two of the upcoming draft is Felix Anudike-Uzomah. The Kansas State edge rusher checks in at No. 67 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.

During the 2021 season, Anudike-Uzomah recorded 50 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, and six forced fumbles. 

This past season the Kansas State edge rusher earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year after recording 46 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks. 

“It was a pretty up and down season numbers-wise for Felix,” Drew Galloway, the Kansas State reporter for On3.com said. “He was banged up a lot of the year and needed offseason surgery. He also faced a lot of double teams this season and was the focal point of opposing scouting reports. He was great against Texas Tech and had three sacks for the game. Most of his work this season actually didn’t show up in the stat sheet and came off of freeing up other players on the edge. His presence and ability to disrupt led to Brendan Mott having a career year in sacks. It was a good season for him especially when you consider he was hurt after the first week of the season and was pretty banged up most of the year.”

Anudike-Uzomah is solidly built with good length. The Kansas State edge rusher uses a powerful long arm to drive blockers backward. He has violent hands that jolt linemen and does a good job of converting speed to power. 

“He has really powerful hands to go with a really good get-off,” Galloway said. “The play that went viral last season against Texas Tech causing the safety shows his strength and his get off. He also has a knack for making the big play when it’s needed. He destroyed Max Duggan in the Big 12 Championship Game on a third down play when K-State had all the momentum and it looked to be a massive play, but it ended up being wiped away because of a muffed punt.”

Anudike-Uzomah has a quick first step off the line of scrimmage and he’s absolutely relentless. He does a good job of using his length and active hands to keep himself free. He’s a bendy edge rusher and once he wins the corner he quickly closes on the quarterback with his long strides. He has a diverse pass-rush plan that keeps offensive tackles guessing. According to Pro Football Focus, Anudike-Uzomah recorded 89 pressures over the past two seasons.

“What makes him so relentless off the edge is his combination of strength and speed,” Galloway said. “He’s extremely quick off the edge and is just a lot faster than most tackles and plays really really hard.”

The Kansas State defensive lineman has the lateral quickness to slither around offensive linemen to make plays behind the line of scrimmage (25.5 tackles for loss the past two seasons). He has the short-area quickness and lateral quickness to chase down ball carriers. There are times when he can be bullied and knocked off balance. 

“He’s pretty solid against the run,” Galloway said. “He’s really relentless and is really disruptive in the backfield against the run as well. He does have a tendency to sometimes be too aggressive in his run fits and that can lead to some longer runs.”

Fit with the Packers

With his blend of size, strength, and initial quickness, Anduike-Uzomah could be the ideal long-term running mate for Gary in Green Bay. He’s a detailed pass rusher that has a knack for putting pressure on the quarterback. 

“I don’t think he’s played his best football yet,” Galloway said. “He was just a two-star coming out of high school and didn’t have another FBS offer besides Kansas State. North Dakota State actually pulled his offer a few days before signing day and he was going to go to Missouri to be a regular student until K-State offered him. In his freshman year, he played in five games so he burned his redshirt while only really getting his feet wet. He’s gained almost 50 pounds since high school. He has a really big desire to win and succeed and always wants to be the best and wants to learn and grow. I’d also draft him because he’s a really fun and funny person to be around and was really fun to cover over the last three seasons.”

The Packers finished this past season with just 256 pressures, which ranked 26th in the league (PFF). They need to bolster their pass rush and Anudike-Uzomah can get after the quarterback with the best of them. 

Texans Wire 3-round mock draft: Elevate passing game, beef up the defense

The Houston Texans grab a couple of pieces to bolster the passing attack while beefing up the defense in @johnhcrumpler’s latest 3-round mock.

The Houston Texans are still a few steps away from the 2023 NFL draft and finally cashing in on the excess draft capital from their 2022 offseason trade with the Cleveland Browns. A new coach will need to be hired and important decisions have to be made on how the team will use some of their available cap space. Regardless of any impending time, one look at fan comments at social media will show that fans are already thoroughly focused on the draft.

April’s projects as one of the biggest in franchise history with the opportunity to potentially select a franchise quarterback and three additional selections in the top-70 to provide desperately needed talent to one of the NFL’s worst rosters.

Draft season has barely begun and a lot will change in the upcoming months. The Senior Bowl, Shrine Bowl, NFL combine and, of course, individual pro days will play a huge part of re-shaping the board in the absence of additional games to watch. However, as a launch point, it’s still useful to think about who general manager Nick Caserio may draft if Roger Goodell took to the podium today.

Here’s an early prediction at a three-round Texans mock draft.

Texans grab first-round passing duo and edge rusher in Round 2 in Draft Wire mock

The Houston Texans find their long-term passing duo in Round 1 and grab Kansas State’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah in Round 2 of the latest Draft Wire mock.

The Houston Texans may not have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, but they can still give their roster a positive direction led by youth within the first 33 picks.

According to Luke Easterling from the Draft Wire, the Texans get passed over as the Chicago Bears deal the No. 1 overall pick to the Indianapolis Colts, who then use that move-up from No. 4 overall to select Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Of course, the Stroud selection does not hurt the Texans as they have been linked to Alabama’s Bryce Young since the summer. Houston takes Young with the No. 2 overall pick.

The Texans then use their No. 12 overall pick in Round 1 — obtained via a 2022 offseason trade with the Cleveland Browns — to select TCU receiver Quentin Johnston.

After landing this year’s top quarterback prospect at No. 2, the Texans jump ahead of a division rival (likely for a mid-round pick) to land the best pass-catcher in this year’s draft. Instead of letting the equally WR-needy Titans have a shot and Johnston (and having to face him twice a year), the Texans give Bryce Young a massive target with tons of length, athleticism and big-play ability.

With the Texans having their passing duo of the future locked up, they then go to the second round to find another edge rusher to either complement or replace defensive end Jonathan Greenard, a former 2020 third-rounder who is entering the final year of his contract.

Houston takes Kansas State edge defender Felix Anudike-Uzomah. The 6-3, 252-pounder generated 8.5 sacks, 11.0 tackles for loss, 46 combined tackles, two forced fumbles, and a pass breakup through 14 games for the Wildcats in 2022.

Anudike-Uzomah would be able to help the Texans’ defense with its pass rush and edge setting, which would take down opposing offenses a notch — a helpful start for Young and Johnston as they forge their connection.

[listicle id=80346]