The Chargers have a knack for finding players that offer versatility at the position they play, given their defensive philosophy. That’s exactly one of the reasons why they spent their sixth-round selection on former Houston linebacker Emeke Egbule in the 2019 NFL draft.
Los Angeles was in need of finding a replacement to Kyle Emanuel, who retired this offseason, to backup Uchenna Nwosu. The team was able to find a guy who showed he was a perfect fit for defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s defense.
A two-year starter for the Cougars, Egbule filled in for current Ravens linebacker Tyus Bowser in 2016 and then took over as the starting SAM linebacker in their hybrid front-seven.
Egbule did it all in the 52 games that he played. He played on the edge in a traditional pass rushing role. He was used as a strong side and weak side linebacker, where he excelled at playing contain against the run and in coverage, as he was asked to cover running backs and drop to a flat or hook zone frequently.
Additionally, Egbule was used as an overhang defender, splitting between the slot wide receiver and tight end. Houston also lined up over bigger slots and he proved capable of staying in the hip pocket of them to make plays.
When watching Egbule, there’s plenty of reasons to be excited for the future of the former Houston product. We illustrate eight plays to showcase what he is bringing to the city of Los Angeles.
Pass Rush
Egbule is adept at converting speed to power as a pass-rusher.
His ability to carry speed, pivot and hinge is evident when rushing the passer. He does well to dip his inside shoulder and work around blocks. Ebgule doesn’t have an array of pass rush moves, but he does use a club/sweep/rip effectively.
Egbule is quick and finds his way to get skinny on loops and stunts.
Run Defense
When playing the run, Egbule shows impressive ability to challenge blockers by stacking and shedding with ease.
Even when he isn’t cleanly disengaging from his blocker, he still has the brute lower body strength to push them back to their gap to make the play.
Coverage
Egbule does a nice job of processing and using his length to disrupt passing lanes.
He shows ideal awareness in zone coverage, showing loose hips, getting good depth on his drops and keeping his head on a swivel looking for receivers in the area to make plays.
The bottom line is that Egbule is an enticing player and is a prime example of a player that can be great with a little bit of coaching. There is some fine-tuning needed to his game, but there’s solid foundation to work with, given his natural talent, versatility and athleticism.
Egbule is a guy who will make his money on special teams and as a sub-package pass-rusher early on, sprinkled in with Nwosu. But with some time, we could be looking back on the Chargers’ 2019 sixth-round selection as a potential steal down the road as he receives more time on the field.
