Draft Preview: DE Oweh intrigues with untapped potential
Apr. 11—Jayson Oweh turned a lot of heads last month.
The 6-foot-5, 252-pound defensive end ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash during Penn State's pro day March 25, confirming his freakish athletic talent. And there's a widespread belief Oweh is only beginning to scratch the surface of his vast potential.
Harboring basketball dreams during his youth in New Jersey, he didn't start playing football until his junior year of high school. In three seasons with the Nittany Lions, he was constantly learning and evolving his game.
That's a process that will continue in the NFL, perhaps after a team invests a first-round pick for his services.
A 2020 season filled with unprecedented adversity across the nation also gave Oweh a chance to dive deep into his game and focus on the details that matter most.
"It just helped me to understand what I really have to hone on," he said after his remarkable pro day performance. "I was focused on just trying to have flex and move, but now I can really hone in on speed-to-power, hone in on timing the hands better, hone in on finding the tackle instead of trying to run around him. That's only gonna make my game even better.
"It was bittersweet that I had zero sacks (last season), but I just know that it's gonna be crazy once I really know what I'm working on."
That latter stat is certain to be a topic of conversation in weeks to come.
Oweh's vast potential has yet to be matched by his production. He infamously did not record a sack in 2020 and had just seven during his three seasons at Penn State.
But that's only part of the story. He had a career-high 6.5 tackles for loss last season and pressured the quarterback 20 times, numbers that prove he was able to affect games even without putting the quarterback on the ground.
In the NFL, of course, much more will be expected of an edge defender. Oweh believes he's up to the task.
"(The lack of sacks is) obviously there, but if you really are a savant of the game and if you really understand what is going on in the game and you watch film — you don't just look at the box score — you'll understand that that's not even who I am," he said. "That's not even the type of player that I am."
With the explosive traits Oweh possesses, someone will be willing to pay the price to find out.
In many ways, Oweh fits the blueprint Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard has sought in pass rushers. He's long and twitchy with elite athleticism.
In addition to the blistering 40 time, Oweh posted a 39.5-inch vertical leap and 11-foot-2 broad jump. His 6.9-second time in the three-cone drill also is considered elite, but it wasn't enough to meet Oweh's own exacting standards.
In preparation for the event, Oweh spent a lot of time training with Nittany Lions linebacker Micah Parsons. They pushed each other in every workout, constantly setting personal bests and engaging in an ongoing battle of one-upsmanship.
Both players believe the competition made them better, and Oweh plans to bring the same work ethic to the next level. He also understands terrific scores in physical testing won't be enough to find NFL success.
"Obviously, I'm very athletic, but sometimes I tend to lean on it a little bit too much, and that could be bad because a lot of people can wash you out if you're rushing too fast and you don't have a counter move," Oweh said. "... I'm an unorthodox guy. I can get things done my way, but when you're on the next level, you've gotta do things a specific way and be effective. So (I'm) just tightening up the technique and my general knowledge of the game as well."
Oweh's favorite NFL pass rushers to watch include Minnesota's Danielle Hunter, Arizona's Chandler Jones and Chicago's Khalil Mack. But his best pro comparison might be Tampa Bay's Jason Pierre-Paul.
The former South Florida star is a shining example of what can happen when a freak athlete finally realizes his full potential.
As critics focus on a lack of production, Oweh has his eyes on a bright future.
"My best years in football are ahead of me," he said. "This is probably the best thing that could have happened to me because I'm using it as motivation. People have said that I was a pass-rush specialist the year before that. Now they say I can only play the run. So I use all this stuff as motivation, and it's just helping me to become more of a complete football player."
