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One of the few weaknesses of the New York Giants’ defense in 2016 was the lack of pressure up the middle. While Damon Harrison and John Hankins proved to be an almost impenetrable wall against the run, Harrison has never been known as a pass rusher, and Hankins has yet to duplicate the success he had rushing the passer in 2014.
With Hankins now potentially going the way of Barry Cofield and Linval Joseph, and Jay Bromley’s rookie contract expiring after the 2017 season, the Giants might look for the powerful and explosive penetrator they hoped to get when they drafted Marvin Austin.
Charlotte’s Larry Ogunjobi is just such a player, and uses his power and quickness to disrupt from the defensive tackle position.
Will he be on the Giants’ radar at the end of April?
Measurables
Height - 6 feet, 3 inches
Weight - 304 pounds
40 Time - 5.07 (projected)
Pros
- Explosive first step.
- Good use of leverage and hits linemen with power
- Can discard blockers with power or slip past them with his quickness
- Flashes the ability to use his hands to keep blockers off of him
- Shows good athletic ability and the awareness to disengage and pursue.
Cons
- Not scheme diverse. Will likely have to be a 3-technique in a 4-3 front at the next level
- Struggles to deal with double teams
- Arms are on the short side.
- Can be over-aggressive, opening running lanes or taking himself out of plays.
Does He Fit With The Giants?
With the prospect of losing John Hankins this year and Jay Bromley next year, the Giants would likely be well served to address defensive tackle at some point relatively early in the draft. Ogunjobi is a natural fit to play the 3-technique in the Giants’ four man front.
If New York wanted to create havoc inside in 2016, they were forced to move a defensive end, or even linebacker Devon Kennard, inside to defensive tackle to generate the pressure. Ogunjobi’s burst and power would give them the same effect in a more “classic” front, and greater stoutness up front.
Of course, that all depends on whether or not the Giants would rather have two massive tackles in their base defense, such as they used in 2016 with Hankins and Damon Harrison, and rely on sub-packages or blitzes for pressure up the middle.
Prospect Video
Big Board Rankings
Big Blue View - 83rd overall
Mocking The Draft - N/A
CBS Sports - 78th overall
Draft Countdown - Not in Top 100
Draft Tek - 100th overall
Final Thoughts
Playing at Charlotte, Larry Ogunjobi isn’t a commonly heard name, but with the NFL’s appetite for pass rushers, you will hear more about him as the process unfolds. His power and explosion as a 1-gap disrupter are evident on tape, and that’s a skill that the Giants’ defense currently lacks.
However, as a relatively unknown quantity playing for a small school his draft stock could vary widely between what we hear in the media and the opinion of NFL teams, and probably between teams themselves. It’s possible -- even likely -- that his pass rushing upside has him drafted much earlier than many would anticipate based on his school.