Overview
Position: Defensive End
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 250 pounds
School: TCU Horned Frogs
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.62 seconds
Bench press: 23 reps
Vertical jump: 40 inches
Broad jump: 134 inches
Three-cone drill: 7.02 seconds
Ben Banogu 2019 NFL Draft Profile
Ben Banogu is a redshirt senior out of TCU. Banogu began his collegiate career at Louisiana-Monroe as a redshirt freshman where he started 13 games and 45 tackles with 14.5 for loss and five sacks. Banogu transferred to TCU his sophomore season and was forced to sit out due to the NCAA’s transfer rules. He continued his stellar performance his junior year in a season which saw him tally 49 tackles with 16.5 for loss and 8.5 sacks. He was also named to first-team All-Big 12. Banogu had another efficient campaign his senior year in a season which saw him register 43 tackles with 18 for loss and 8.5 sacks. He was again named to the first-team All-Big 12.
Strengths
- boasts a long frame;
- sports a great deal of athleticism;
- a high motor player;
- executes a wicked spin move;
- plays well in space;
- displays good closing speed.
Weaknesses
- underwhelming lower body strength;
- lack of flexibility;
- struggles to finish tackles;
- hand usage is subpar;
- difficulty getting around the edges;
- has issues with lengthy offensive lineman;
- needs to play with more consistency.
NFL Comparison: Jerry Hughes
Teams With Need at Position: Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts
Bottom Line
Despite his stellar collegiate career, there are still plenty of concerns about how Banogu will translate to the NFL. Banogu shows a tendency to lead with inside moves when rushing the passer and struggles to beat tackles around the edge. Although extremely athletic for his size, Banogu will need to make it a point to add more pass rushing moves to his arsenal, or he’ll cap out as a situational player at best. Banogu has also had trouble disengaging from blocks and often gets taken out of plays after being unsuccessful with his initial burst.
Despite all of that, Banogu is another player that has the potential to be a solid draft steal in the later rounds with the potential to be an NFL starter. It’ll be up to his coaching staff to fully commit to helping him develop his pass rushing arsenal and increasing his lower body strength. A move to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme would vastly improve his trajectory to becoming an NFL starter. Ben Banogu is currently projected as a late third to early fourth round pick.
