Longhorns Wire will create a draft profile for each former Texas player transitioning to the NFL in 2021.
Each profile will be updated according to where the player is eventually selected in the 2021 NFL draft and/or where they choose to sign as undrafted free agents. Edge rusher Joseph Ossai, a potential first-round pick, is next.
Class: Junior
Height: 6-4
Weight: 250
Pros
Ossai’s size and athleticism has allowed him to be able to move around the front seven from a hand-in-the-dirt rusher off the edge, or even a stand-up rusher and off-ball linebacker. His position flexibility allows him to fit multiple defensive schemes.
His long arms allow him to make tackles from a further reach and to separate from defenders. Once he’s wrapped up the ball carrier, or even just a hand, he brings the carrier down at the point of contact.
Excellent in the running game; shows patience at the line of scrimmage in case of a run-pass option or cutback. Takes good angles at the point of attack.
Cons
He has shown to not be very comfortable in coverage, especially in man-to-man. Ossai is better at covering in a zone scheme.
He is able able to shed blocks, but doesn’t often do it as fast as you would like to see. If whoever’s blocking has him latched up, he has tendencies to take too long to get off the block.
Analysis
His athleticism and size have given him a lot of position flexibility. Depending on the scheme, he could either be a 4-3 true defensive end or a 3-4 outside linebacker.
While Ossai is far from the perfect prospect, he lands in a draft that doesn’t have a true, elite edge rusher and instead just a handful of good ones. That fares well for Ossai since he plays a premier position that teams will always try to reload and improve on.
He’s likely not a top 10 prospect, but he’ll be gone by the end of day one.
Projection
First round