2016 NFL Draft Scouting Notes: Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State

2016 NFL Draft Scouting Notes: Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State

By Lijah Spencer (@tweaked74) 

Tonight in Scouting Notes we begin looking at the Defensive Ends, and if you are a football fan but haven’t heard of this guy then you must be living under a rock. Joey Bosa is a player who would have gone very high in last year’s draft had he been eligible, and he often draws comparisons (some fairly and sometimes unfairly) to J.J Watt of the Houston Texans. Here are my notes:

Joey Bosa. 6’6. 275 lbs. Ohio St

The Positives

1) Plays with great power

2) Uses a multitude of pass rush moves including the “swim” move and a spin move to beat his blocker

3) Very good tackler

4) Is a “playmaker” with a “nose” for the ball.

The Negatives

1) Bosa does have “stiff” hips, and limited flexibility.

2) Average speed for a big guy

Bosa is widely thought of as the probable #1 overall pick in the upcoming draft, and for good reason. He plays with great power, but has the ability to mix in finesse moves to keep his blockers off balance. He at this point usually faces double teams on nearly every play yet he is still able to make big plays consistently. Bosa is not necessarily a fundamentally perfect player, but this is one of those cases where you can’t over analyze, this kid is simply a playmaker. He plays hard, and he plays hurt, and it appears that he plays with heart. Bosa had 7.5 sacks as a true freshman, but this year will be a good test as he will almost always face a double team, and if he shows the ability to produce through those double teams he should be a sure fire top 5 pick.