Josh Uche Overview
Position: EDGE
School: Michigan
Height: 6′ 1″
Weight: 245 lbs
Josh Uche 2020 NFL Draft Profile
Coming out of high school Josh Uche was a three-star recruit defensive end. Before committing to Michigan, Uche was recruited by many other top college football programs such as Alabama, Florida, and Auburn.
Uche first saw the field during his true freshman season in 4 games as a reserve player. He would continue in a similar role with limited playing time in his sophomore season. This season he was able to record his first sack while being active in 10 games.
It wasn’t until his junior year when Uche got some meaningful playing time. After seeing his role expanded, Uche totaled 7 sacks and 8 tackles for loss during his third season at Michigan and earned an honorable mention for the all-conference team.
Uche didn’t have any college starts until his final year. During his senior season, he played in all 13 games, while starting in 9 of them. As Uche got more playing time, his production also increased. In his final year, Uche was used in a variety of ways on the field. This allowed him to was able to show his abilities in coverage and as an off-ball linebacker. In his final college season Uche finished with 8.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss and was recognized to the second all-conference team.
Strengths
- Great versatility can rush the passer, drop into coverage, and play off-ball linebacker in some situations;
- Rip move on the outside shoulder of offensive lineman is very effective;
- Flips hips to the quarterback well;
- Good burst off the line of scrimmage;
- Good surface reduction when bending off the edge;
- Uses natural leverage well to get more power;
- Comfortable playing in open space;
- Good hand placement on swipe moves;
- Long arm move is nice, but still needs development.
Weaknesses
- Undersized for an edge rusher;
- Tackling in space could improve;
- Hands need to be more powerful;
- Hands, counters, and plan of attack are still fairly raw;
- Low pass rush IQ;
- Tackling in space could improve;
- Could add more mass to his frame.
NFL Comparison Anthony Barr
Teams With Need At Position: Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks
Projection: Late 2nd Round
Bottom Line on Josh Uche
Despite never having a huge snap count at Michigan, Josh Uche was still productive and shows a lot of intriguing traits on tape. As a pass rusher, the burst and bend off the edge he brings will give him a consistent way to win in the NFL. Though inconsistent, his bull rush, spin move, and long arm move flash on tape and should get better with proper development.
Uche can win in other ways than a pass rusher though. He can also drop into coverage and play the run as an off-ball linebacker. Uche flashes good instincts and range playing off-ball linebacker. He also showcases the ability to play everything in front of him well when in zone coverage, and his athleticism is more than sufficient. The versatility Uche brings will appeal to many NFL teams.
If a team is picking Uche to play edge full time, further developing his strength will be crucial. By doing this, his bull rush, block shedding, and ability to hold up at the point of attack will improve. Teams should also look to focus on Uche’s hand technique to elevate his game. Focusing on Uche’s counters will be important as well in order to get cleaner outside rush opportunities.
Some teams may want him in a hybrid role where he rushes the passer and also frequently plays off-ball. If so, his tackling development will be crucial. On tape Uche shows some issues with tackling in open space.
In year one, Uche can take snaps as a situational pass rusher in year 1. His optimal role would be to scheme him into more wide-9 alignments to allow him to operate in more space. This will also hide his lack of power. He can also take snaps as an off-ball linebacker and in coverage.
Uche can be a meaningful backup year 1 at multiple positions while also flashing the ability to become a highly impactful player at edge or in a hybrid linebacker role. Uche has a very high ceiling, which will be a significant selling point for teams. With some development, Josh Uche can be a substantial return on investment for the team drafting him.
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