Seahawks Draft Prospect: Emmanuel Ogbah

The Seahawks, with their 26th pick in this year’s NFL Draft, will likely have many quality options to choose from. Today we look at Emmanuel Ogbah.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider said Wednesday that this year’s draft class is “the best draft since we’ve been here.” He and Pete Carroll are apparently drooling over several names in the 2016 draft class. I’ve seen several mock drafts predicting several players the Seahawks could choose with their 26th pick in the first round. It seems that no one really knows what the Seattle brain trust is thinking. (That’s a good thing).

Most expect the Seahawks to draft along either the offensive or defensive line, at least in the early rounds. Both units need to be replenished and this year’s draft class is laden with NFL-ready talent in the trenches.

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Today, we’re looking at Emmanuel Ogbah, who I mocked as the Seahawks’ first round selection yesterday. Ogbah was a defensive end for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Ogbah moved with his family to the Houston area from Nigeria when he was nine years old. He played in every game as a redshirt freshman and tied for the team lead with four sacks. That effort allowed him to crack the starting lineup and his career took off. As a sophomore, Ogbah won the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award with with 11 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. His junior year, he led the Big 12 in sacks with 13.

NFL scouts like Ogbah’s ability to hold up against the run and get around blockers with a powerful rip move. His powerful moves around the edge also makes him a potentially fierce pass rusher in the NFL. He has experience playing defensive end and defensive tackle. Some scouts think he can even play outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. Ogbah came to OSU underweight but has packed on mass during his time there. He has shown great ability to attack the neutral zone and keep offensive linemen from getting off the line of scrimmage.

A few areas of concerns for the Seahawks if they’re eyeing Ogbah is his lack of pure athleticism and inconsistent awareness at times. He has also gained a reputation for taking plays off and being unable to read plays and make tackles in pursuit. NFL.com gives him a 6.07 draft grade, meaning he projects into a solid starter in the NFL, but not much past that.

Next: Seahawks Schedule: Three Hidden Landmines

Should the Seahawks draft Emmanuel Ogbah at pick 26? Let me know why or why not in the comments section.