2021 NFL Draft Profiles: Could Washington's Levi Onwuzurike Be a Jaguars Target?

With the Jaguars still needing to add a player at defensive tackle following Tyson Alualu opting not to sign in Jacksonville, could Washington's Levi Onwuzurike be that option?

Author:
John Shipley
Publish date:
Apr 14, 2021 11:21 PM EDT

The 2021 NFL Draft season is upon us and the first wave of free agency is now over. Now, scouts, coaches, and general managers will hit the road as all eyes will turn to the draft.

Among the 32 teams building their rosters to compete for the next Lombardi Trophy is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who hold 10 picks in this season’s draft -- including the No. 1 overall pick. The Jaguars are entering a new era under Head Coach Urban Meyer, and the 2021 draft will serve as a catalyst to the Jaguars’ rebuild moving into the future.

As we march closer and closer to April’s draft, we will look at individual draft prospects and how they would potentially fit with the Jaguars. Instead of looking at any negatives, we are going to look at what the players do well and if they could match what the Jaguars need at the specific role or position.

In this edition, we review Washington defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike, one of the top defensive tackles in this year's class. When does he make sense for the Jaguars to pursue?

Overview

A four-star recruit out of high school, Levi Onwuzurike had his fair share of suitors before he entered the college ranks. Programs such as Georgia, TCU, Texas A&M, Miami, Stanford, Oklahoma, and more all pursued Onwuzurike, but it was Washington who landed the gifted defensive lineman.

Onwuzurike redshirted his freshman season but then cracked the rotation the very next year. In 2017, Onwuzurike appeared in 12 games and recorded 16 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. His playing time increased in 2018, with Onwuzurike appearing in 14 games with four starts and recording 34 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks.

Onwuzurike's best season came in 2019 as he moved into a full-time starting role. He started for the entire season and recorded 45 tackles, six tackles for loss, and two sacks, along with a blocked punt. As a result, he was named first-team All-Pac 12.

What Levi Onwuzurike Does Well

To call Levi Onwuzurike an energetic and active defender would be putting it lightly. He is a true bull in a china shop, playing with relentless and vicious physicality and drive on each down. Onwuzurike works tirelessly from the start of the play to the end to get into the backfield. Washington deployed him as a nose tackle, which is unlikely to be his role in the NFL considering his size (6-foot-2, 290 pounds), but his play at zero-technique showed positive traits that should translate to the next level and he has NFL athleticism (8.75 RAS according to Kent Lee Platte).

Onuwuzurike wins with his first step, rivaling Daviyon Nixon in terms of first step explosiveness and ability to shoot into the backfield off the snap. He wasn't allowed to attack gaps as often so his dynamic get off didn't always make a difference, but he shoots into blockers with an exciting blend of quickness and power, delivering a violent jolt on contact to reset the line of scrimmage or force guards/centers off balance. Combine this with his effort level and Onuwuzurike is able to consistently make plays up and down the line of scrimmage.

Onuwuzurike is incomplete as a pass-rusher but his athletic first step combines with an agile and powerful upper body to give him a solid foundation to work with. He flashed a pull-rip and swim move at times but his most effective pass-rush move as of now is his bull rush. When he fires off the ball with proper leverage, he can put a guard on skates and even push double teams.

As a run defender, Onuwuzurike shows stellar promise thanks to his ability to lock blockers out and disengage. His violent hands help him create an advantage early in the block and he is able to consistently control one-on-one blocks with his upper body. The amount of reps he had in 2019 where he lifted a center or guard off their feet and shed them is ridiculous and encouraging about what he can do when lined up further away from the ball.

How Levi Onwuzurike Would Fit With the Jaguars

Onwuzurike is a pretty big projection to the next level due to his limited production and playing time and the fact that his college role wasn't what he will do in the NFL. Washington used him as a true nose tackle who lines head up on the center on a constant basis, whereas his best fit in the NFL is in a scheme that allows him to use his explosiveness to attack gaps.

The Jaguars can use all the versatile and athletic interior defensive linemen they could get; they are in a spot where both 4-3 and 3-4 defensive tackles make sense for them, with the major requirement being that the players are strong at the point of attack. While Onwuzurike has to improve in his consistency against the run, his work against single blocks is encouraging and he is a tough defensive tackle to reach block.

Onwuzurike isn't a finished product as a pass-rusher, but he offers immense promise in that regard. He never finished with more than three sacks in a season at Washington due to how he was deployed in Washington's defense, but he has the first step, energy, and flashes of pass-rush moves to become an exciting interior pass-rusher in the future.

The Jaguars don't have many pass-rushers among their current group of interior defensive linemen, but they do have a number of players with starting experience. Onwuzurike could use some time to develop, which the Jaguars' depth chart would allow, but he could also add some much-needed juice and athleticism to Jacksonville's sub-package rotation.

Verdict

Onwuzurike is a really good athlete with some exciting moments on tape, but it would be a surprise to see him picked within the first 35. With that said, he has the athletic traits and physical temperament to bet on with a Day 2 pick.

The Jaguars signed a lot of defensive linemen this offseason, but the loss of Tyson Alualu back to the Steelers means they can afford to add another defensive tackle to the rotation. Owuzurike could legitimately be the explosive player Taven Bryan was drafted to be but hasn't panned out as.

For all of our 2021 NFL Draft profiles, click below.