Draft Prospect Profile | DE Julian Okwara, Notre Dame

Romeo's little brother has a lot more talent to where he could potentially be a Day 2 draft pick for some team. Will that be the Giants?

 Julian Okwara, Defensive End

Height: 6-foot 4
Weight: 248 lbs
Grade: Senior
School: Notre Dame

Julian Okwara is a defense end, who was born in London and initially raised in Lekki, Nigeria. His family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina when he was in grade school. Okwara attended Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte. According to maxpreps.com, he had 84 total tackles (eleven tackles for loss) and 9 sacks during his senior year of high school.

Okwara had offers from some of the top Division I programs in the country, including Georgia, California, Notre Dame, Clemson, and Michigan. He ultimately chose Notre Dame, and committed to play football there in April of 2015.

The fact that Okwara’s older brother Romeo also played football at Notre Dame (2012-2015) almost certainly factored into his decision to pick that school. Romeo Okwara, who is also an edge rusher, was signed by the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He spent two seasons with them, and now plays for the Detroit Lions.

The younger Okwara played in 11 games as a true freshman in 2016 and recorded four total tackles. He got more playing time during his sophomore season and recorded 17 total tackles (4.5 tackles for loss), 2.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble and one interception. Okwara had one total tackle and a sack during Notre Dame’s 21-17 win over LSU in the 2018 Citrus Bowl.

RELATED: Notre Dame's Julian Okwara Hopes to Keep the NFL Family Tradition of Excellence Alive

Okwara had his best collegiate season in 2018, as he had 39 total tackles (12.5 tackles for loss), eight sacks, one pass defended, one forced fumble and an interception in 13 games played. 

He had one sack and one total tackle in the 2018 Cotton Bowl, but Notre Dame was trounced by Clemson 30-3. Okwara decided to return to Notre Dame for his senior year, but his season was cut short after suffering a fractured left fibula in November. Before getting injured, he recorded 18 total tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

Because of his injury, Okwara was limited at this year’s NFL Combine and did not participate in the 40-yard dash. Once he’s fully healthy, he will be able to showcase his excellent movement skills and great speed. 

To be an elite defensive end in the NFL, Okwara is going to need to be slightly more consistent than he was at Notre Dame. However, he clearly has the potential to be a feared pass-rusher.

Why He’s a Fit

The Giants’ situation at defensive end going into this year’s draft is going to depend on how the next few days play out. The team is reportedly not close to agreeing to a contract extension with Leonard Williams, who they acquired from the New York Jets in October of last year. 

Giants’ general manager Dave Gettleman could decide to use the franchise tag on Williams if the two sides cannot agree on an extension. The NFL has now extended the franchise tag deadline to March 16.

Even if Williams ends up returning to the Giants for the 2020 season, Gettleman still should draft an edge rusher. In eight games for the Giants in 2019, Williams had 26 total tackles, 0.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two stuffs. 

He certainly showed some promise, but the reality is that he’s never been able to live up to his full potential. If Gettleman does decide to pick an edge rusher in the draft, Okwara is a guy that should be toward the top of his list.

Last season, the Giants’ defense really struggled to get a consistent pass rush going. They had just 36 sacks and nine forced fumbles during the 2019 season. If the Giants end up drafting Okwara, he could be a disruptor, something that their defense clearly did not have last year. They need someone who can force turnovers, which is another reason why he would be a good fit for the Giants.

Even though he’s still recovering from his fibula injury, Okwara is expected to be a first-round pick. If Gettleman wants to draft him, it would make sense to trade back in the first round and get some additional picks. It’s unlikely that Okwara falls to the second round, but it’s certainly still a possibility.

Gettleman has to make a few moves this offseason to improve the Giants’ pass rush. Okwara’s quickness, movement skills and playmaking ability all make him one of the most intriguing options at edge rusher in this year’s draft. He would be a valuable asset to the Giants’ defense if Gettleman ends up selecting him.