Justin Madubuike Overview
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height: 6’-3”
Weight: 293 pounds
School: Texas A&M
NFL Combine Performance Data
40-Yard Dash: 4.83 seconds
Bench Press: 31 reps
3 Cone Drill: 7.37 seconds
Justin Madubuike 2020 NFL Draft Profile
After three impressive seasons on the field, Texas A&M product Justin Madubuike is skipping his final year of eligibility to enter the 2020 NFL Draft. The defensive lineman has an impressive year for the Aggies, recording 17 run stops, six sacks, nine hits, and 26 hurries during his 576 snaps of action.
Madubuike initially joined the college football ranks as a four-star recruit out of Texas. Choosing to stay in his home state, Madubuike took a redshirt year in 2016 before earning a role on the defense in 2017. During his first real year of action, the Texas native recorded seven run stops, no sacks, two hits, and six hurries in 287 snaps. The former four-star recruit built on his solid redshirt freshman season by making a notable leap in 2018. Appearing in a career-high 652 snaps, Madubuike recorded 15 run stops, eight sacks, 11 hits, and 25 hurries.
Strengths
- Can play all over the interior and shouldn’t be limited by scheme;
- Technically sound – makes up for relative lack of size with pristine fundamentals;
- Flashed the ability to be a pass-rushing threat at the NFL level;
- Athletic for the position and can chase down quarterbacks and running backs in the backfield;
- Impressive balance and rarely loses his footing in one-on-one situations;
- Strong player that can push weaker linemen around like it’s nothing.
Weaknesses
- Inconsistent production on a week-by-week basis;
- Will probably need to add some weight at the next level;
- Struggles to hold his own against double teams;
- Lack of growth from 2018 to 2019 suggests he may have reached his ceiling;
- Not a great lateral mover – shouldn’t try to win with quickness.
NFL Comparison: Adam Butler
Teams With Need at Position: Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins
Projection: Round 2
Bottom Line on Justin Madubuike
Justin Madubuike has flashes of greatness, but they’re not quite consistent enough to justify a first-round grade. The Texas A&M product can line up all along the defensive interior and should be able to succeed in multiple fronts. He’s an above-average run defender that rarely loses one-on-one matchups and has some pass-rushing upside. He’s relatively undersized for the position but makes up for it with his above-average strength and fundamentals. While he’s not the most agile, he has a strong motor and can chase down ball-carriers in the backfield when going in a straight line.
Madubuike has plenty of pass-rushing promise, but he hasn’t demonstrated that skill set at a consistent basis. His lack of growth from 2018 to 2019 is somewhat concerning, and he’ll need to add some weight to be a three-down starter in the NFL. Gaining weight can sometimes lead to a lack of explosiveness, so the odds of Madubuike becoming an above-average pass rusher at the NFL level are pretty slim. Ultimately, he should be a longtime starter in the NFL, even he never develops into anything more than a ‘fine’ player.
Main photo:
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