In a mock draft from CBS Sports, the Indianapolis Colts added to their biggest position of need by selecting former Penn State edge rusher Jayson Oweh with the No. 21 overall pick.
Oweh and the Colts are a perfect match. Indianapolis has little pass rush to begin with and Oweh is an athletic freak for his position. The Colts can line him up as a pass-rushing linebacker or stick his hand in the dirt. This pick may be the steal of the draft, which is fitting for a team that drafts well.
Athletically, Oweh is a certified freak. His measurables pop off the page and will be the reason he’s drafted in the first round if that happens at the end of April.
OFFICIAL numbers for PSU EDGE Jayson Oweh:
6050, 252 pounds
4.36 40-yard dash (99th percentile)
39.5 inch vertical (96th percentile)
11'2" broad jump (99th percentile)
4.21 short shuttle (89th percentile)
6.83 3-cone (98th percentile) pic.twitter.com/76KFi22A6m
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) March 25, 2021
There is no denying he has the physical tools to be an edge rusher that wins due to his athleticism and explosiveness. The problem doesn’t come with him as an athlete. It comes with his production at Penn State.
In 20 career games with the Nittany Lions, Oweh has just 7.0 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. In a 2020 season shortened by COVID-19, Oweh failed to record a single sack in seven games.
If there’s a reason he drops out of the first round, it’s the lack of production. That might matter to the Colts. It might not. They could look at his physical traits and raw pass-rush skillset and believe they can develop him further into an impact player.
The upside is certainly there but so are the red flags. Oweh is a polarizing prospect but given that upside, it would be hard to blame the Colts for wanting to capture it, especially since they hold the No. 21 pick and not, say, a top-10 pick.
