Nick Bosa Ohio State Draft Profile

Nick Bosa was widely considered as the number one player coming out of this draft and many expected him to go first. However, with the rise of Kyler Murray, he fell out of that top spot. He won’t fall much more than that.

During his time at Ohio State he showed tremendous block shedding and strength around the edge. He only played three games last season and he had eight and a half sacks. That’s insane production for the limited amount of time that he played.

One big question mark about him is his durability. Like I said, he only played three games last season due to injury. The team that drafts him will be looking for a three-down presence and Bosa’s injury might come into play.

Even with this concern, he is still widely considered as the best and most NFL ready player in this draft.

Strengths

Block shedding- His strength paired with his pad level is a dangerous mix. During his three games last year, he looked unstoppable. He found ways to get off of double teams and go make the play. His block shedding should translate very nicely to the NFL.

Strength- One of his biggest strengths, is his strength. After he got injured he went out to California to focus on the NFL. During his time there he trained hard and because of the training he was able to have 29 reps at the combine for his bench press. That number for a defensive end is very impressive and shows just how strong he is.

Tackling- Whenever he gets to the backfield, it’s almost a sure-fire sack. His tackling is very impressive for a defensive end and he stays focused on the ball, which is why he forced so many fumbles during his time at Ohio State. In the NFL he will be able to cause havoc with all these skills then he’ll finish the play with his tackling.

Weaknesses

Durability- I mentioned this earlier, but it is his clear main weakness. He has had two season ending injuries, ACL tear and the groin injury from last season. If a team picks him in the top three, then thy are expecting him to be an every down lineman. If a team starts to think about injuries then he might slip in the draft because not many teams in the top few picks want to risk a pick.

Run contain- there were many times in college where he let the running back get to the corner and he was unable to chase him down. His lateral quickness isn’t quite good enough to be able to force the running back inside. This may be a concern for a team that will have him out there for more than just passing situations.

Rating

Football IQ– 9/10- The way he can focus on the ball and get strip sacks is key for me giving him tis rating. He also can identify the offensive lineman’s technique and the holes in it quickly.

Athleticism– 8/10- The main reason why this is one of his lower ratings is because of his lateral quickness and ability to chase down running backs. If the running back gets the edge, then Bosa is usually out of the play.

Explosiveness– 9/10- He has a good first step and he also has the ability to explode up through the lineman. He has shown a slight tendency of standing up too quick, but that was rare in his time in college.

Strength– 10/10- With his 29 bench press reps at combine, he showed that he was the strongest defensive end in this draft class. His strength is a big reason why he is such a highly touted prospect.

Tackling– 10/10- Whenever he is able to get his hands on the ball carrier, then the play is almost always over. He has great tackling skills and he will show them early in his career.

NFL Comp

Demarcus Lawrence- I know the obvious comparison is his brother Joey Bosa. However, his skill set reminds me more of Demarcus Lawrence and they have similar size. They both have an innate ability of stripping the ball from the quarterback and that’s big for a defensive end.

Overall

Nick Bosa is an extremely good defensive end that will hear his name being called in the top five of this year’s draft. Even with injury concerns, his talent will still be more than enough for a team to take a chance on him. I also personally believe that he will be in this league for a while.