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At this current rate, the 4-10 Los Angeles Rams will hold the third pick…in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft.
Offensive line help is already a popular option. But so is help for the now nine-time Pro Bowler Aaron Donald — plus finding the much-needed and long-delayed replacement for Von Miller in the “Rams House.”
For a team that got seven sacks out of Leonard Floyd, but only two from the rest of the edge rush department, Jacob Schyvinck of Fansided wrote how he believes trench help is needed. And it starts with getting 6-foot-4, 255-pound edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah out of Kansas State at No. 35 overall.
“The absence of Miller has really left Aaron Donald on an island getting after the quarterback in 2022,” Schyvinck writes. “They haven’t gotten enough production on the edge, and in a deep edge class, that’s the direction in the second round. Felix Anudike-Uzomah is a talented rusher from Kansas State. He’s had 86 pressures and 21 sacks in the last two seasons, along with 70 run stops.”
The Wildcats’ pass rusher may lack bend at the point of attack, but Schyvinck described him as one who can get creative in attacking the quarterback.
“When it comes to rushing the passer, Anudike-Uzomah isn’t the most bendy rusher who will win the outside track. Rather, Anudike-Uzomah wins with long strides of explosion off the snap and can drive opponents back with power at the contact point. He’s creative enough to find ways to soften his angle to the quarterback and win in the contact phase. Not to mention, he does a great job setting the edge against the run with his power and length,” he said.
What will also attract teams come draft day: He’ll head to the league as the reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year winner.
Anudike-Uzomah Holds This Title on KSU by PFN
Pro Football Network is another raving about the tall and relentless Anudike-Uzomah.
On the eve of the Big 12 title game won by Kansas State, the national website gave Anudike-Uzomah the title of top 2023 NFL Draft prospect among the Wildcats’ 2023 class.
“Kansas State’s top 2023 NFL Draft prospect is undoubtedly edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who has 18.5 sacks and 24.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons (those numbers were before the upset over previous unbeaten Texas Christian). Anudike-Uzomah isn’t the largest edge rusher, but he has enough length. More importantly: He’s a twitched-up, flexible attacker with a hot motor and brutal hand combos in his arsenal,” PFN analyst Ian Cummings wrote before the December 3 conference title game.
And with an undefeated title at stake for the Horned Frogs, Anudike-Uzomah shook up TCU with five tackles, four solo stops and one sack in the thrilling 31-28 overtime win the capture the Big 12 championship. Penetration like this helped hand the Frogs their lone loss of the season:
His best game from the 2022 regular season, though, was a three-sack outing against the always pass-happy Texas Tech Red Raiders.
With Justin Hollins and Terrell Lewis gone (waived during the season) and the lack of edge rush depth outside of Floyd, Anudike-Uzomah could end up as a gift pick if he’s available around the time the Rams have to make their pick. Adding the Wildcat has the potential to reignite the outside pressure for the Rams and take pressure off “A.D.”
