Overview
Position: Safety
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 205 pounds
School: Northwestern Wildcats
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.44 seconds (fifth among safeties)
Bench press: 19 reps
Vertical jump: 35.5 inches
Broad jump: 10 feet, 8 inches (tied for fifth among safeties)
Three-cone drill: 6.56 seconds (tied for best among safeties)
20-yard shuttle: 4.12 seconds (second among safeties)
60-yard shuttle: 10.81 seconds (best among safeties)
Godwin Igwebuike 2018 NFL Draft Profile
Every draft contains a few prospects who sport NFL bloodlines. Whether it’s their father, an older brother, or a cousin, quite a few players are looking to follow in the footsteps of family members by carving out a career in the league. Godwin Igwebuike is a unique example in that regard. The Northwestern product is the second cousin of Christian Okoye who played six seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and was the NFL’s leading rusher during the 1989 season.
A native of Pickerington, OH in the Columbus area, Igwebuike excelled on both sides of the football for Pickerington North High School. He rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and 29 touchdowns while also making five interceptions and forcing two fumbles during his senior year. Rivals.com rated him a top-30 recruit in Ohio and he was actually a finalist for the Mr. Football award in a state known for producing top talent. Still, Ohio State wasn’t one of the six Big Ten schools who offered him a scholarship. Northwestern did and he committed to the Wildcats in August of 2012.
After redshirting, Igwebuike appeared in 11 of 12 games in 2014, making five starts. In a 20-14 upset of Wisconsin, he became the first Northwestern player to intercept three passes in a game since 1973 en route to Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. Over the next three years, Igwebuike would start every game he played in. It included finishing his junior year with 78 solo tackles, good enough for fifth-best in FBS that year. Though his tackle numbers dipped a bit in 2017, he finished with a career-high eight pass breakups and added two interceptions. His college career ended with a Music City Bowl win, marking the first time in school history that the Wildcats have won bowl games in consecutive years.
Strengths
- exhibits good read and react instincts in run support;
- a big hitter who takes good angles pursuing the ball carrier;
- versatile and powerful enough to play nickel and dime linebacker;
- has the makings of a workhorse at the next level, having totaled 324 tackles in college;
- tape and Combine measurables align in showing exceptional initial burst;
- showed flashes of playmaking ability, including three interceptions in one game as a freshman;
- three years of starting level reps at a fairly high level of play;
- provides great value on special teams.
Weaknesses
- key and diagnose instincts in pass coverage are a major work in progress;
- not particularly comfortable in a centerfielder kind of safety role;
- could struggle to cover playmaking tight ends down the middle;
- too quick to bat down rather than try and intercept;
- a bit stiff-hipped which makes mirroring and matching in man coverage a challenge;
- might only be suited to strong safety at the next level.
NFL Comparison: Duron Harmon
Teams With Need at Position: Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins
Projection: Early day three selection
Bottom Line
A physical thumper who could excel as a strong safety in run support, Igwebuike was a three-year starter at Northwestern and tested favorably at the Combine. His combination of traits and tenacity could see him used at the line of scrimmage early on. Though teams will be reluctant to slot him into a coverage role, at least initially, he’s a coachable player with a high football I.Q. Igwebuike should see the field often on special teams as a rookie with the ceiling of an impact player if he can develop.
