Run Defense
Duke Ejiofor is possibly the best gap-penetrating defensive end in recent memory; that might seem a dubious superlative, but Ejiofor’s combination of quickness and superb hand usage made him an absolute terror for opponents in the running game. On Wake Forest’s defense, Ejiofor was largely asked to gap penetrate and either tackle the running back in the backfield or force them back into the other defenders; in the NFL, he will need to show more variation in his run defense, with the Panthers defense also asking ends to stack and shed, something Ejiofor was rarely (if ever) asked to do, and to act as edge-controllers. This was something that Ejiofor was occasionally asked to do at Wake Forest, showing the hand usage to get outside the tackle and force the running back inside into the pursuing defenders:
Where Ejiofor is best, however, is when asked to make plays in the backfield. Ejiofor’s hand usage is exemplary and that, combined with the patience to wait for tackles to commit before reacting, allows him to make plays like the following:
If Ejiofor can even begin to replicate this level of productivity at the pro level, he has the ability to be one of the very best run defending edges in the NFL; while his value might drop due to offseason surgery, he could be an early contributor on first and second down as a rookie with the ability to develop further as a pass rusher.
Best Case NFL Comparison: Michael Bennett
Worst Case NFL Comparison: Wes Horton
One Sentence To Tell Your Friends On Draft Night: “His quickness and hand usage makes him an elite penetrating run defender, and his ability to bend the edge and core skill traits offer the potential to develop further as a pass rusher.”
Grade: B
