Video: Dallas Cowboys High Interest in Joseph Ossai | Joseph Ossai Draft Profile

[Hardline]

To me, the book on Ossai is if he can get with a DL coach who can teach him to come off the ball. I think a lot of casual fans don't really know his story. He has so little experience, in comparison to a lot of these guys that fans don't know he's really only played a short time. If you watch this guy, he really became a monster when he was moved to the DL. Now, that is also part of the reason he isn't good off the snap. Watch him on film and you will see, he is always the last guy to move on the snap. By the time he comes off the ball, the T is already in his set and ready to engage the block. This makes it that much harder to beat the block but this guy, he is so athletically gifted that he still beats blocks. Imagine if he actually learned to come off the ball at the snap the way his physical abilities would allow him to if he were coached up. This guy is cat quick once he goes. He hasn't learned to bend nearly as well as he will, he hasn't learned to use his hands nearly as well as he could, he hasn't learned to use counters or set up blockers yet. He can come off the ball from both sides, he runs and chases as well as anybody in this draft. This guy is a beast in the making if you can teach him how to do those basic things IMO. His upside is off the charts but you have to give him time to develop and learn. If you can do that, he's probably the best edge guy in this draft IMO, but he can also get out and cover for you better then any of these guys. He started at LB. Thats a dimension that nobody is talking about right now but it should be.

Agreed

 

[Beaker42]

Not a fan.

Stiff as a board and doesn’t have an arsenal of pass rush moves.

And he won’t go in the 2nd unless a team doesn’t know what they’re doing ...... OK, guess he’ll be a Cowboy.

 

[Beaker42]

To me, the book on Ossai is if he can get with a DL coach who can teach him to come off the ball. I think a lot of casual fans don't really know his story. He has so little experience, in comparison to a lot of these guys that fans don't know he's really only played a short time. If you watch this guy, he really became a monster when he was moved to the DL. Now, that is also part of the reason he isn't good off the snap. Watch him on film and you will see, he is always the last guy to move on the snap. By the time he comes off the ball, the T is already in his set and ready to engage the block. This makes it that much harder to beat the block but this guy, he is so athletically gifted that he still beats blocks. Imagine if he actually learned to come off the ball at the snap the way his physical abilities would allow him to if he were coached up. This guy is cat quick once he goes. He hasn't learned to bend nearly as well as he will, he hasn't learned to use his hands nearly as well as he could, he hasn't learned to use counters or set up blockers yet. He can come off the ball from both sides, he runs and chases as well as anybody in this draft. This guy is a beast in the making if you can teach him how to do those basic things IMO. His upside is off the charts but you have to give him time to develop and learn. If you can do that, he's probably the best edge guy in this draft IMO, but he can also get out and cover for you better then any of these guys. He started at LB. Thats a dimension that nobody is talking about right now but it should be.

So you’re saying he’s a project ...... we’ll take him in the 1st at 10. Not joking - wouldn’t surprise me one bit with this asshat front office.

 

[cnuball21]

Have you watched this guy?

Yes...not very impressed.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

So you’re saying he’s a project ...... we’ll take him in the 1st at 10. Not joking - wouldn’t surprise me one bit with this asshat front office.

I would not call this kid a project. I think that if you just got the kid that is there today, he could start for you as your strong side olb. But, if you want him to be an Edge Rusher, run and chase kind of guy, you are going to have to teach him and be patient. He has the skills, no question IMO. He just needs to be taught how to apply them on the field. He hasn't played enough football at DE. He really only has one season.

Also, he's not a top 10 pick. He's a 25 to 32 type pick in the first round, assuming he is taken in the first. He could fall into the second but I think he has to much natural ability. His tape shows his explosiveness. His combine numbers just support that what you think you see on film is actually what you are seeing. He has the motor, he just needs to coaching so NFL folks are going to look at him and see a really high ceiling for him. I think they look at this kid and they project him as a Tamba Hali type guy or a Jason Pierre-Paul type guy. Guys with a lot of natural untaped ability that needed time to really develop.

jmo

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Yes...not very impressed.

Really? What is it about him that doesn't impress you?

 

[cnuball21]

Really? What is it about him that doesn't impress you?

Basically what I posted earlier in the thread...

I don’t think he has the athleticism to be a + LBr in today’s NFL and he’s a project as a pass rusher. His change of direction skills look labored and he looks somewhat stiff hipped.

Hard pass in the first 2 rounds for me.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Basically what I posted earlier in the thread...

I don’t think he has the athleticism to be a + LBr in today’s NFL and he’s a project as a pass rusher. His change of direction skills look labored and he looks somewhat stiff hipped.

Hard pass in the first 2 rounds for me.

Why would you say that he doesn't have the athleticism? I mean, his numbers certainly don't suggest that but more to the point, he's not going to play LB in the NFL IMO. Not unless a 34 team takes him and then he'll be a edge 34 OLB. What I read from you tells me you don't know this player. He has played LB for most of the time he's been at Texas. He was moved to DL this year because of his abilities. He's go one Covid season playing DL. He might have been the most impactful player on the Defensive side of the ball this season at Texas. His athletic ability is no joke. His problem is not his abilities. It's his experience and the actual reps he's gotten at the position. As a LEO in our scheme, he's a perfect fit athetically IMO. He just needs reps to get batter at understanding the position.

 

[cnuball21]

Why would you say that he doesn't have the athleticism? I mean, his numbers certainly don't suggest that but more to the point, he's not going to play LB in the NFL IMO. Not unless a 34 team takes him and then he'll be a edge 34 OLB. What I read from you tells me you don't know this player. He has played LB for most of the time he's been at Texas. He was moved to DL this year because of his abilities. He's go one Covid season playing DL. He might have been the most impactful player on the Defensive side of the ball this season at Texas. His athletic ability is no joke. His problem is not his abilities. It's his experience and the actual reps he's gotten at the position. As a LEO in our scheme, he's a perfect fit athetically IMO. He just needs reps to get batter at understanding the position.

Why would you say that he doesn't have the athleticism? I mean, his numbers certainly don't suggest that but more to the point, he's not going to play LB in the NFL IMO. Not unless a 34 team takes him and then he'll be a edge 34 OLB. What I read from you tells me you don't know this player. He has played LB for most of the time he's been at Texas. He was moved to DL this year because of his abilities. He's go one Covid season playing DL. He might have been the most impactful player on the Defensive side of the ball this season at Texas. His athletic ability is no joke. His problem is not his abilities. It's his experience and the actual reps he's gotten at the position. As a LEO in our scheme, he's a perfect fit athetically IMO. He just needs reps to get batter at understanding the position.

Because he looks like a linear athlete on film.

What numbers are you referencing...his pro day 40? Take that with a grain of salt. And why didn’t he do the short shuttle and 3 cone? A little off if he’s a plus athlete.

If we’re looking for an RDE type to play the Leo role you’re liking for someone like Ojulari...not Ossai.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I've been interested in him but he might go in the second round. He's the eighth best Edge rusher right after Joe Tryon 44th overall.

Overview
Former inside linebacker who has seen his stock rise quickly after a move to a more natural edge position. Ossai's draft grade will require a good deal of projection as he is still raw and inexperienced at his new position. His passion and go-go motor are the juice that fuels his desire to make plays, and his outstanding practice habits improve his chances for continuing to adjust quickly to his newfound positional home. He's long but has some hip tightness that limits his ability to hold the point of attack and bend the edge as a rusher. Ossai won't out-race tackles to the edge, but if a team can coach up his hands and add to his rush plan, he should turn into a solid pro as a 3-4 outside linebacker.

Strengths

• Uses long arms to his advantage.
• Motor stays revved at all times.
• Rallies hard and fast to the football.
• Has ability to rush passer with a hand down or standing.
• Workable shoulder flip at the top of his rush.
• Lateral trigger quicks are tailor made for tackle-end twists.
• Activity level creates secondary sack opportunities.
• Flashed dangerous slide-and-swim inside move off the snap.
• Violent hitting style causes strip-sacks.
• Improved pad level and leverage at point of attack.
• Upward strike and arm extension when attacking tight ends.
• Starting to feel his potential for quick wins against run blocks.
• Will be around the ball and make plenty of tackles.

Sources Tell Us

"They will tell you in the building that this kid is just as non-stop in practice as he is in the game. There is no front there. He loves to ball and he's getting better quickly." -- Area scout for AFC team

If he's the plan for round 3, I don't mind, but I'd prefer Baron Browning from Ohio State who's more versatile. Ossai is a good run stopper, but he's not very good at pass rush, and he's not as good as Browning in pass coverage. Browning is solid at run stopping, pass rush, and coverage.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

They love this guy. McClay and two scouts drove down for his pro day in Austin. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them move up in late 1st / early 2nd to get him.

 

[morasp]

If he's the plan for round 3, I don't mind, but I'd prefer Baron Browning from Ohio State who's more versatile. Ossai is a good run stopper, but he's not very good at pass rush, and he's not as good as Browning in pass coverage. Browning is solid at run stopping, pass rush, and coverage.

The edge rusher I like in round 3 is Payton Turner. The LBs I've been taking in round two are Davis and Cos and sometimes Collins.

 

[J-man]

The top guys that could blow up the middle would be Barmore first and foremost followed by Levi Onwuzurike, and Nixon would be third. I was watching some highlights this morning and really liked what I saw from Chris Rumph. The announcer was saying Duke lets him move around on the DL and pick his matchup. He would need to improve his play strength but an offseason should help that and he had some amazing production in three years at Duke with 33 TFLs, 17.5 sacks, and 2 FR.



CBs are deeper than usual this year. We need more turnovers so like last year when we replaced jones with Diggs who had three interceptions as a rookie I'd like to replace them with some ballhawks. I really like Paulson Adebo who is a ball hawk with four interceptions in each of his last two seasons, Robert Rochell is a 12 takeaway ballhawk from a smaller school, and Shakur Brown would be a nice slot guy and had five picks last year.

I have been high on Rumph for quite awhile, was beginning to wonder if I was going to be the only one. Dude can be a steal in the late rds. I see potential to be a monster at the Leo for us.

 

[morasp]

I have been high on Rumph for quite awhile, was beginning to wonder if I was going to be the only one. Dude can be a steal in the late rds. I see potential to be a monster at the Leo for us.

I would love it if they took him.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

6-4, 256, only a junior. Should be able to get to 265-270 with a good weight and nutrition program.

But he has to be a third rounder or later, everything I've seen says he's still developing, first and second rounders need to be as NFL ready as we can get...

 

[tm1119]

I've been interested in him but he might go in the second round. He's the eighth best Edge rusher right after Joe Tryon 44th overall.

Overview
Former inside linebacker who has seen his stock rise quickly after a move to a more natural edge position. Ossai's draft grade will require a good deal of projection as he is still raw and inexperienced at his new position. His passion and go-go motor are the juice that fuels his desire to make plays, and his outstanding practice habits improve his chances for continuing to adjust quickly to his newfound positional home. He's long but has some hip tightness that limits his ability to hold the point of attack and bend the edge as a rusher. Ossai won't out-race tackles to the edge, but if a team can coach up his hands and add to his rush plan, he should turn into a solid pro as a 3-4 outside linebacker.

Strengths

• Uses long arms to his advantage.
• Motor stays revved at all times.
• Rallies hard and fast to the football.
• Has ability to rush passer with a hand down or standing.
• Workable shoulder flip at the top of his rush.
• Lateral trigger quicks are tailor made for tackle-end twists.
• Activity level creates secondary sack opportunities.
• Flashed dangerous slide-and-swim inside move off the snap.
• Violent hitting style causes strip-sacks.
• Improved pad level and leverage at point of attack.
• Upward strike and arm extension when attacking tight ends.
• Starting to feel his potential for quick wins against run blocks.
• Will be around the ball and make plenty of tackles.

Sources Tell Us

"They will tell you in the building that this kid is just as non-stop in practice as he is in the game. There is no front there. He loves to ball and he's getting better quickly." -- Area scout for AFC team

I don’t think Ossai or Tryon are even top 3 pass rushers....

 

[morasp]

I don’t think Ossai or Tryon are even top 3 pass rushers....

They aren't, the top three will go early but there is a strong possibility both of them will be starters in two years.

 

[tm1119]

They aren't, the top three will go early but there is a strong possibility both of them will be starters in two years.

Ya that’s my bad, I skipped over the word 8th for some reason in your op

 

[Rayman70]

I like ossai, but I hope we dont overdraft him. He isnt what I call great...but hes solid. He gets manhandled ALOT but good tackles. He will need some coaching.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Because he looks like a linear athlete on film.

What numbers are you referencing...his pro day 40? Take that with a grain of salt. And why didn’t he do the short shuttle and 3 cone? A little off if he’s a plus athlete.

If we’re looking for an RDE type to play the Leo role you’re liking for someone like Ojulari...not Ossai.

All of his Pro Day results. I have no idea what he did or did not run, I only saw the numbers posted.

Explosion numbers. So yes, his 40, 20, Broad and Vert.

Ojulari isn't a DE in the Pros, at this point, IMO. He's a 34 OLB but having said this, why is one OK but not the other? I mean, I have not seen his combine numbers but he's small, he's not particularly fast so I don't see how you get around his 240 lbs if he's playing on the DL. Also, how do you know he will be available? I don't have anything against Ojulari but he's not the LEO IMO. He would need to be cat quick and pretty fast to compensate for his size or be bigger.

JMO