From now until the 2020 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to showcase as many prospects as possible and examine both their strengths and weaknesses. Most of these profiles will feature individuals that the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to have an interest in, while a few others will be top-ranked players. If there is a player you would like us to analyze, let us know in the comments below.
#6 Josh Uche/EDGE-LB Michigan – 6’2 250
The Good
– Twitchy, excellent athlete who is an easy-mover in space and covers a lot of ground
– Explosive first step who will stress tackle’s set off the ball in the pass game
– Fluid and as comfortable going backwards as he is forward, gets depth in zone coverage and can carry the seam against #3/tight ends
– Terrific bend and ability to corner when he wins the edge, capable of ripping and bending through contact, great hip and ankle flexibility to win as a pass rusher
– Varied pass rusher who tries not to win with just speed, smart player who reads tackles set and attacks half-man
– At his best, serious playmaker and impact pass rusher
– Played with hand up and down and left/right end spots, along with seeing time kicked inside and in an off-ball role
– Productive despite limited playing time, still put up impressive sack totals
The Bad
– Slight build, offensive tackles tower over him
– Lacks functional strength as a pass rusher, tackles aren’t afraid of his speed to power and can sit on outside rush, rendering him ineffective
– Too easily overwhelmed and overpowered at the point of attack, ends up on the ground too often because of it
– Struggles to disengage from blockers in the run game once tackles lock on
– Rotational player who wasn’t used in an every down role, allowed to play fresh and primarily in a third down/obvious pass role
– May require position switch to have most NFL success
Bio
– Only nine career starts in 38 games
– Career: 56 tackles, 20.