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Draft Special: Amobi Okoye Defensive Tackle Louisville

Published: April 23rd, 2007
By Buc 'Em
Meet: Amobi Okoye a Defensive Tackle from the University of Louisville. Let me go ahead an point out this seniors age: 19 years old and size: 6'2 302 lbs. The Defensive Tackle is probably the most intriguing player in the entire Draft aside from -you know who- (hint hint #21). This kid started playing College Ball at the rightful age of 16 and contributed as well with 17 tackles and 1 sack. As a senior, while earning All Big East 1st team honors Amobi finished his season with a career high 49 tackles, 12 for loss, and six sacks.

This Man obviously has potential, once again Footballs Future has you covered:

"Okoye may be the ideal nose tackle. He is built low to the ground, and stays low, making it hard for defenders to get under his pads. Combined with his bulk and his strength, and he is immovable on the interior. He is powerful at the point of attack and can push lineman around and clog running lanes on the inside. Okoye's ability to succeed despite his age is a testament to his intensity. He will not be outworked on the field. He is an excellent run stopper, but Okoye does not project as much of a playmaker at the next level. He can get penetration but lacks the ability to finish plays off. He has had a lot of success at a young age, but he may need more time to mature before he becomes a factor in the NFL. Amobi Okoye is a special player. He has had a lot of success in college, and his entire career will be played as a teenager. His upside at the next level is tremendous. He could be an excellent nose tackle in a few years. Okoye's rise during the season has continued throughout the post season. He may have surpassed Alan Branch as the top tackle in the draft, and is a potential Top 10 pick."

Amobi Okoye is the biggest wild card in the entire draft to me. He, along with fellow draftees Gaines Adams and Calvin Johnson, recently admitted to using Marijuana in College. With Goodell's current crack downs, is Amobi a player the Bucs can afford to risk Drafting? He's a young cat with huge size with room to grow, which is scary (scary for opposing QB's). It's said he doesn't finish tackles well, it's as if he can't lay the smack down, per say. Again I think his strength will improve with age. He's not the tallest DT by any means, but he plays the run like a bull. Defensive Tackle is probably the most glaring need for this Bucs team. We haven't been able to stop the run or get to the QB in recent years. Add those two components together and you've got a recipe for disaster. The current d-line is getting older and older: Hovan, Wyms, and newly acquired Kevin Carter. Combine that with the possibility of DE Simeon Rice being traded and our d-line is looking down right depleted. The question with Amobi Okoye is, is he worth Top 5 Pick money? As a fan, I say who cares, draft the player this team most needs, but with Draft Value Charts and the signing of checks more goes into the Drafting of each player than solely being based on team needs. With that said, Gaines Adams and Jamaal Anderson both finished the '06 season with better numbers than Okoye. Adams and Anderson are both older than Okoye as well and its widely assumed that by drafting Okoye, you're drafting a player who has yet to fill out his frame. This is why I consider Amobi a reach with the 4th Pick for the Bucs and on top of that a calculated risk that I'm not sure Jon Gruden can stand to take at this moment in his career.

Amobi Okoye's career history brought to you by: Footballs Future and ESPN.com

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