Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
The 2014 NFL Scouting Combine has now wrapped up, and the NFL war rooms will go into full swing as they try to put together their list of prospective draft picks. Georgia Tech has several players entering the draft, and a couple that could end up being high draft picks.
One of those players is All-ACC/All-American defensive end, Jeremiah Attaochu, who broke the Georgia Tech school record for sacks in 2013, and who has begun to catch the eye of more than one analyst. Even ESPN’s Todd McShay has jumped on the Attaochu-bandwagon, as reported by our brothers over at AtlAllDay.
Attaochu was always one of the toughest competitors on Tech’s defense, but once Ted Roof took over as defensive coordinator and moved him from linebacker to defensive end, Attaochu exploded onto the scene.
CBS Sports currently has Attaochu rated number 85 overall in the 2014 draft, and #8 at his position, with a projected draft round of two or three (with almost identical rankings from nfldraftscout.com). There may not be much of a change in his status by most draft experts, as a partially torn hamstring prevented him from participating in the NFL Combine. He’s hoping to be ready for his Pro Day on March 28 in Atlanta.
There are a number of teams who have a pressing need for a pass-rush specialist, and Attaochu may end up being helped by all the clamor over surefire early draft pick, Jadeveon Clowney. Teams that miss out on Clowney will be scanning down the list of pass-rushing ends in a hurry, and Attaochu’s tapes may help boost him even further up the line.
Attaochu has already met with the Baltimore Ravens (as reported by the Baltimore Sun), which would be one of his natural selections as he is from the Washington D.C. area. Staying close to Atlanta where he’s played his college ball could also be a possibility, as the Falcons are definitely going to be looking hard at anyone who has the ability to get to the quarterback.
So who does the big Nigerian menace watch and model his game after?
“I watch some of those pass rushers who kind of fit my mold, body type and athletic ability,” Attaochu said. “I watch Clay Matthews and Von Miller. I watch Terrell Suggs. He’s more mature as a pass rusher and he uses his power very well.”
Definitely some good names to study if you want to terrorize quarterbacks.
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