Ogbah is boom-or-bust according to Stephen White, retired NFL DE

[top dawg]

After really considering Emmanuel Ogbah as the pick, I've been doing a little homework. The main 4-1-1 on Ogbah according to scouting reports is that he basically only has one move as a rusher and that he will have to be coached up to become the monster that he has the potential to be. Of course there are the regular position specific things that have to be ironed out during the transition from college to the pros, but most everyone says that Ogbah is going to have to incorporate more into his arsenal as a pass rusher (though, like I referenced in another thread, his college positional coach says he has more moves...hmmm).

Stephen White, former NFL defensive end (including our division rival), gave a brutally honest assessment of Ogbah earlier in the month, which he very well could have entitled A Tale Of Two Ogbahs. If you are even remotely interested in Ogbah, then you may find the piece quite compelling. White just doesn't know what to think due to Obah's lack of consistency. 

 

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I just don't know how you draft a guy like Ogbah high and have any kind of confidence in what he will or won't develop into as a pro. That doesn't mean I can't see a team taking him in the first round. After all, guys his size and with his speed and production in college don't grow on trees.

A team will have to be honest and realize he is a boom-or-bust guy. They are just going have to bet on the boom, but they damn sure better be prepared if he ends up being a bust.

Even with Ogbah's testing numbers, I wouldn't be surprised at all if he was out of the league in four years. On the other hand, he could also go to the right team with the right coach and work his ass off and all of a sudden become the Defensive Rookie of the Year.

 

For me, you obviously can't just discount his opinion out of hand, because he played in the NFL for seven seasons. He knows a lot more than most of us about the position. But the truth is that White isn't the only one that has referred to Ogbah as a boom-or-bust prospect, the very organization that is my go-to source for scouting reports, Pro Football Focus, listed him as a top 5 boom-or-bust player.

 

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One of the biggest advantages of Pro Football Focus is that it grades on results, rather than style. Style points win nothing in our system, which is fortunate for Emmanuel Ogbah. The Oklahoma State defensive end doesn’t display the kind of technical proficiency of some of his peers. While he may be able to get away without an array of pass rush moves at the college level, it’s doubtful the same will hold true in the pros. But then, ignoring Ogbah’s production would be a mistake. He was our fifth-ranked pass rusher amongst edge defenders in 2015.

Even his production comes with a caveat. Ogbah moved around quite a bit at Oklahoma State, but won predominantly from the left side in college, where he was able to beat up on right tackles. A left defensive end who struggles against the run is far from ideal. Ogbah barely graded positively in that facet of play, finding himself moved backwards with frequency by offensive tackles. He also took himself out of run plays, overpersuing in the backfield to leave wide open lanes. The talent is certainly there, but whether the technique and discipline develop remains to be seen.

 

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2016/03/29/draft-5-boom-or-bust-prospects-in-the-2016-nfl-draft/

 

That being said, the only opinion that matters is Dave Gettleman's, and I do believe that he believes that we have the coaches to pull the best out of Ogbah

 

Call it full disclosure, folks. It's all a part of the guessing game. The day is almost upon us, and I still believe Ogbah might just be the pick if some blue chipper doesn't fall. Getty loves big men, and even if he didn't have an eagle's eye for spotting talent that actually comes to fruition, he certainly won't be dissuaded by writers and pundits (regardless of their experience). He also drafted one of the bigger boom-or-bust products in the draft a couple of years ago according to more than a few analysts, and we all know that Kelvin Benjamin is far from a bust. If Ogbah ends up as our guy, he won't be a bust either. 

 

[Growl]

After watching a few games I'm inclined to agree. He's got the measurables but he seemingly rarely uses his hands and gets bogged down with defenders pretty often. He gets better as the game gets on though and his natural speed beats tiring OTs.

[Mr. Scot]

Kinda reminds me of what was said about Benjamin (questions about his route running and such).

Did we have a visit with him?

[Swaggasaurus]

Guys shouldn't get to his body like they do. It's crazy seeing a guy rush the passer with his hands tied behind him

[csx]

I'd take former player/bloggers with a few grains of salt. Is this guy a scout? Remember Nawrocki? He is a former player.

 

I'll trust the professional scouts over the no name bloggers.

[LinvilleGorge]

Other boom/bust prospects?  Cam.  KB.

When it comes to boom/bust you just have to trust your scouting and homework.  With those guys it usually comes down to work ethic,  coachability, and/or off field issues.  They're not boom or bjst

[t96]

I don't think he'll "bust" like many think of when they hear that word. I think his floor in the NFL is a solid rotational end, with the potential to be a "boom." He's got an NFL build already and is good at stopping the run and can drop back into coverage but needs a lot of work in rushing the passer to be effective at the next level.

[Bartin]

5 minutes ago, csx said:

I'd take former player/bloggers with a few grains of salt. Is this guy a scout? Remember Nawrocki? He is a former player.

 

I'll trust the professional scouts over the no name bloggers.

Played DE in the NFL for seven years. 6 for TB, 1 for NYJ. He knows his stuff especially when talking about the OL and DL as you might expect. Also very entertaining writing style. He was one of the first national guys on the Kawann Short bandwagon a couple years ago.

[LinvilleGorge]

10 minutes ago, Swaggasaurus said:

Guys shouldn't get to his body like they do. It's crazy seeing a guy rush the passer with his hands tied behind him

You want a list of college pass rushers with NFL ready pass rushing moves and hands?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That was the list.

[csx]

2 minutes ago, Bartin said:

Played DE in the NFL for seven years. 6 for TB, 1 for NYJ. He knows his stuff especially when talking about the OL and DL as you might expect. Also very entertaining writing style. He was one of the first national guys on the Kawann Short bandwagon a couple years ago.

OK, so he's not a scout. It seems he's not a nobody but I'm not going to worry about his opinion vs our scouts.

[Bartin]

3 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

You want a list of college pass rushers with NFL ready pass rushing moves and hands?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That was the list.

 

There's usually one or two. They sure as hell ain't there at 30 though lol. They don't make it out of the top 10. At 30 you're either getting a raw athletic DE or a guy with some polish who is a bad athlete

[Swaggasaurus]

6 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

You want a list of college pass rushers with NFL ready pass rushing moves and hands?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That was the list.

 

Not what I said. I said guys get into his body and he will rush without his hands at all. Big difference between NFL ready and no hand usage. I mean I've seen countless times where his first contact with the OT is his chest and he's initiating the contact. I'm just puzzled by it. I like him and everything. He just needs to extend his arms to keep clean.

[jdpanther5]

"I wouldn't be surprised at all if he was out of the league in four years. On the other hand, he could also go to the right team with the right coach and work his ass off and all of a sudden become the Defensive Rookie of the Year."

I feel like you could say this about anyone. 

"He could bust out; he could be ROY; or, just maybe, he could be somewhere in between." My column:

[LinvilleGorge]

3 minutes ago, jdpanther5 said:

"I wouldn't be surprised at all if he was out of the league in four years. On the other hand, he could also go to the right team with the right coach and work his ass off and all of a sudden become the Defensive Rookie of the Year."

I feel like you could say this about anyone. 

"He could bust out; he could be ROY; or, just maybe, he could be somewhere in between." My column:

Yep, there's no such thing as a sure thing prospect.  That's why there's busts and steals every year.  Always have been, always will be.  A ton of guys come into the NFL raw.  You just have to figure out who is coachable and willing to work and who isn't.  I'd much rather draft a guy with high potential who is raw but coachable than a guy who is polished but who is athletically limited.