Ikenna Enechukwu 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Background: 

• Also a high school wrestler (220 lbs) and participated in marching band
• Team leader in pressures for the Owls in each of the last two seasons

System: 

• Scheme tendencies: Multiple front defense
• 2022 projected role: Starting DE

Pros: The frame is absolutely that of an NFL player. Ikenna Enechukwu is a powerful athlete who absolutely has the ability to hold the point of attack. He’s been successful in collapsing pass sets against the smaller levels of competition and he’s shown bright flashes against the run to scrape laterally through contact and absorb ball carriers. There’s some alignment versatility here as well; he’s taken snaps as a base end and then reduced inside to a 4i or further into the B-gap on some passing situations. Enechukwu appears to have good length and the ability to extend, although that is an area of improvement for his consistency in such opportunities. Initial twitch, particularly in straight-line situations, exists and affords him winning reps at the snap. He’s not a true penetration player right now but his blend of burst and functional power allow him to play consistently on the plus side of the line of scrimmage. 

Cons: Ikenna Enechukwu is pretty raw as a rusher and in block deconstruction in general. There are some movement inefficiencies that don’t allow him to forcibly and consistently break down blocks, leaving him in compromised postures with hands still fit on his chest. He’ll need to be more deliberate to break down the grasp of blockers as compared to trying to swim or rip through it and losing his powerful base. I don’t necessarily see an outside pass rusher right now in Enechukwu—I think he may be better served stacking some weight to attempt to play a hybrid role at the NFL level as well, much like we’ve seen from Houston DL like Logan Hall and Payton Turner. He has not shown a lot of fluidity or flexibility to bend and flatten, which is the source of my belief that he’s better suited to bulk and play the B-gap. I consider him a developmental player who has enticing tools, but he’s not ready to take NFL snaps until he better acclimates his work at the point of attack.

Ikenna Enechukwu NFL Draft Scouting Report by Kyle Crabbs