Overview
Position: Defensive end
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 280 pounds
School: Texas Longhorns
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.92 seconds
Vertical jump: 36.5 inches
Broad jump: 115 inches
Three-cone drill: 7.48 seconds
Charles Omenihu 2019 NFL Draft Profile
Charles Omenihu is a senior out of Texas. Coming out of high school, Omenihu was ranked as one of the nation’s top 50 overall players. He played in all 12 games his freshman year, recording just 17 tackles with one for a loss. He started seven games during his sophomore year in a campaign that saw him record 26 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Omenihu had a breakout year as a junior where he started 12 of the team’s 13 games and tallied 28 tackles and had four registered sacks. He later had a stellar senior year in which he started all 14 games while leading the team in sacks (9.5) and tallying 45 tackles. He was named the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and also received first-team All-Big 12 honors.
Strengths
- boasts an NFL-caliber frame;
- a highly experienced prospect, seeing action in all four years during college career;
- strong against the run;
- solid hand usage;
- reliably durable;
- has an NFL-level swim technique;
- highly athletic;
- generates leverage with his rushing;
- an athletic prospect with plus initial burst.
Weaknesses
- field awareness is lacking;
- struggles with consistency as a rusher;
- change of direction is ordinary;
- pursuit is a bit spotty;
- tackle radius doesn’t particularly stand out.
NFL Comparison: Michael Johnson
Teams With Need at Position: Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets
Projection: Late third to early fourth round
Bottom Line
The expectations were high for Omenihu coming out of high school. Even though he came out the gate slow, you can see a clear rise in his performance and production year after year, topping it off with a stellar senior season. While his lack of consistency and field awareness can be a little worrisome, it’s hard to deny his efficiency in one-on-one scenarios with his good length and explosiveness. He is currently projected as a late third to early fourth round pick. Omenihu has draft steal written all over him. Whichever team drafts Omenihu will be getting a player that is constantly improving his performance on the field and has a knack for making big plays in big games. Omenihu is the type of player that gets a little better every time you see him and should become a full-time NFL starter by his second year in the league.
