Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Alabama defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe.
The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2024 NFL draft.
Over the past two NFL Drafts, Brian Gutekunst has added Devonte Wyatt, Lukas Van Ness, Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks to the front seven foundation that already included Kenny Clark, Rashan Gary, Preston Smith and Tedarrell Slaton.
With those pieces in place, the Green Bay Packers have the makings of a solid defensive line group for new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
When a general manager thinks his team has enough pieces up front, it’s probably wise to go add another piece for good measure.
If the Packers are looking to add another piece in the middle of their defensive line, a player they could target is Justin Eboigbe. The Alabama defensive lineman checks in at No. 75 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.
A four-star recruit out of Georgia, Eboigbe started two games during his freshman campaign and recorded three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Over the next two seasons, Eboigbe was part of a rotation up front for Nick Saban’s defense and recorded one tackle for loss and a .5 sack.
During the 2022 season, Eboigbe played in four games before suffering a season-ending neck injury. The former four-star recruit enjoyed a career year this past season, recording 64 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
“Justin has, rather quietly, been a big leader and spark producer for Alabama’s defense,” Brent Taylor, the editor for Roll Bama Roll, said. “He looked to be that kind of player at the start of 2022, but a neck injury made him miss almost the whole season. Alabama’s run defense, particularly off-tackle, clearly suffered. We weren’t sure he’d even play again after the neck injury, so it was a pleasant surprise when he got cleared to play his senior season. He’s been a stabilizing veteran on the interior in run defense and has been an exceptional complementary piece of the pass rush, often closing out the sacks after pressure from the edges.”
At 6-4 and 292 pounds, Eboigbe looks great off the bus. This past season Ebogibe recorded a career-high 64 tackles and according to Pro Football Focus, he accounted for 31 stops. He doesn’t miss a tackle if he gets his hands on a ball carrier. He has an innate ability to work his way up and down the line of scrimmage to find the ball carrier before they get a head of steam.
“I’d say Justin’s greatest strength is probably his sense of positioning to make good tackles,” Taylor said. “He’s just got a great feel of the traffic of the offensive line to get himself in place to take down a ball carrier or shoot a gap for a sack. At 290 lbs, he’s a flexible guy that can work in any scheme. 1-gap, 2-gap, DT, big defensive end, run stop, pass rush. It doesn’t really matter. That skill translates, and he’s just always in place to make the clean-up tackle.”
Eboigbe stays balanced through contact and is rarely on the ground. The Alabama defensive lineman is powerful at the point of contact. He gives good backside pursuit and gives good secondary effort. He’s a movable piece along the defensive line.
“His run defense is extremely consistent, and he’s best when used as a big defensive end on the edge,” Taylor said. “Let him take on tackles and cut off outside lanes with his quickness. He’ll also generally do well with 2-gapping in the interior, but can definitely get overpowered by double teams. Alabama’s paired him with two 330-pound nose tackles to hide that, so it’s not something we’ve seen happen often.”
Eboigbe creates movement as a pass rusher with his power. He has good burst to the quarterback once he wins his matchup. This past season, Eboigbe showcased his potential as a pass rusher, recording seven sacks and 30 pressures.
“Eboigbe is a solid complementary pass rusher,” Taylor said. “He’s got a quicker first step than most 300-pound pure interior tackles, so he can occasionally get a jump through a gap for the first pressure as a third-down rusher. Where he excels though is being the second guy that’s always anticipating which way the quarterback is going to try to go and getting the take down.”
Fit with the Packers
Eboigbe is a strong run defender. He’s a player who could help shore up Green Bay’s run defense that gave up 4.4 yards per carry and ranked 28th overall against the run.
While the Packers don’t have an immediate need along the defensive line, Ebogibe has the versatility to be moved around the defensive front to give Hafley creativity with how he deploys his defensive line group in certain packages.
“Eboigbe is an extremely high-floor prospect,” Taylor said. “He has good athleticism, scheme versatility, leadership, and exceptional field awareness are all highly positive traits. Size may be an issue for him in some matchups, and the lack of upper-tier athletic traits keep him from being an elite prospect. Plus you still probably want to do your due diligence on the injury history – even if he’s had a fully healthy 2023. He can be a rotational guy along the line and work his way into a starter within a year or two. He’ll make a play or two per game, and he won’t get you beat by doing something dumb. I think he’s absolutely worth a 3rd round pick, and would be a steal on day 3.”
Eboigbe is a powerful run defender and can disrupt the pocket as a pass-rusher. The Packers have built a solid foundation around Kenny Clark. Eboigbe could be another sturdy brick.
