The Indianapolis Colts draft plans have usually included drafting high-upside players irrespective of position, a philosophy that has made them one of the best drafting teams in the league over the last few years.
They could look to draft another lottery ticket if they add Penn State edge rusher Jayson Oweh after a fabulous pro day.
Oweh, who has been considered a Day 2 prospect for most of this draft cycle, didn’t record a single sack last season and had just seven total in college. Teammate Shaka Toney was much more productive.
However, Oweh has proven himself to be an athlete that you just don’t see very often at the edge rusher position, and his pro day confirmed that he is a one-of-a-kind specimen at that position.
Despite weighing 257 pounds, Oweh ran a simply astonishing 4.36 40-yard dash. He followed that up with a 39.5 inch vertical, 11-2 broad jump, and 6.83 3-cone, all of which rank in the 96th percentile or greater among edge rushers.
Simply put, the man is a freak.
DE Jayson Oweh 40: 4.36 at 257 pounds.
— Kim Jones (@KimJonesSports) March 25, 2021
LB Micah Parsons 40: 4.38 at 246 pounds. #pennstate #proday @nflnetwork
Potential Colts draft pick Jayson Oweh is very raw
Oweh might remind many of former San Francisco first-round pick Manny Lawson, an edge rusher who ran a 4.43 40-yard dash. Unfortunately, while Lawson had a long career, he never developed into a star, as constant switching of schemes and positions ruined his development. These uber-talented prospects aren’t always a surefire bet to be a home run.
Consistency, therefore, will be absolutely pivotal in making sure that Oweh develops into a star. In a system that won’t ask him to shoulder a ton of the pass rush load given the presence of DeForest Buckner. In Indianapolis, Oweh could use his edge-bending speed and quality run defense to cause havoc on the edge.
He is still as raw as sashimi, and that could make his transition to the pros difficult, Furthermore, using the No. 21 pick, which might be Indianapolis’ only chance to draft him, could turn out to be a precious waste of draft capital. If he can’t improve his pass rush technique, Oweh will be someone more at home running the 100m as opposed to lining up at 5-tech defensive end.
Oweh’s floor is at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, but his ceiling is as high as any player in this draft class. Ballard, who clearly has confidence in Matt Eberflus and this defensive coaching staff, could be persuaded to take a huge risk by selecting Oweh in the first round, even if it means passing up on an offensive tackle.