Joe Tryon, Washington Huskies.
The NFL draft is an important time for Washington Huskies football. It always hurts to lose good players, but the Dawgs and their fans can celebrate their alumni headed to play at the highest level of professional football.
Putting players in the NFL is some of the best advertising Washington Huskies Head Coach Jimmy Lake has when courting recruits to Seattle. Last year a pair of Huskies were selected in the NFL Draft, quarterback Jacob Eason (fourth round, 122nd overall, Indianapolis) and center Nick Harris (fifth round, 160th overall, Cleveland). All totaled 34 Washington Huskies alumni were either on NFL rosters or practice squads in 2020.
Due to COVID-19, this year’s pre-draft process is much different. Instead of the standard combine where NFL hopefuls spend three days in Indianapolis, all player measurements and evaluations occur at individual college pro days. Washington’s pro day is Tuesday, March 30. That’s the same date as Ohio State and Texas A&M have their pro days, so UW players won’t have scouts’ undivided attention.
This year at least four Huskies will be drafted. Pacific Northwest Sports audited 28 different mock drafts to see where the quartet might go in the draft, including ESPN, USA Today, NFL, CBS Sports, Walter Football, and more. Fourteen of the mocks went two rounds; five of them covered Rounds 1-5.
In this edition, we focus on the defensive front seven duo of Levi Onwuzurike and Joe Tryon. Both were important pieces of the Huskies defense in 2019 but opted out of playing last season to focus on the NFL Draft. Was it a good strategy? Let’s see what the mock drafters think of their chances.
Some scouts love Levi Onwuzurike, and some don’t. A physically gifted athlete with great physical skill, he is somewhat of an enigma. Sitting out the 2020 season didn’t help answer any questions about his ability. But he held up well at Senior Bowl Week in January.
Explosive is a word used often in scouting reports to describe him. Onwuzurike fills the A (center-guard) and B (guard-tackle) gaps well to stop run plays. A big part of the reason is his explosive power off the snap. That allows him to generate enough power to drive his man and reach the backfield.
Onwuzurike’s strength and agility allowed him to make some eye-popping plays. Ones that got fans at Husky Stadium out of their seats. He played primarily inside at Washington, but it wasn’t unusual for him to pop outside the tackle to make a stop. That doesn’t mean he’s a pass-rushing forcing from inside like Aaron Donald. But he is more than formidable stopping the run.
While Onwuzurike has come a long way since his days at Allen, TX, he is far from a finished product. Onwuzurike has to improve on his technique. Every player in the NFL is physically gifted. Additionally, he has to become more consistent to become an impact player.
Most mock drafts have Onwuzurike going in the second round. Number 32 overall (Round 1) to Tampa is a good landing spot for the interior lineman.
Onwuzurike has an impressive amount of explosion for a defensive lineman, and he’s also long and rangy. His initial burst allows him to get positive positioning against offensive linemen, and his arm length allows him to keep himself clean when he uses it correctly. Onwuzurike also has good leg drive through pass rushing reps, and if his anchor is established, he can drive guys back. – Ian Cummings, Pro Football Network.
Another physically gifted athlete, Joe Tryon, excelled in the Washington Huskies defensive scheme. He played the Hybrid left defensive end/outside linebacker spot. During his sophomore season at UW, Tryon had 12.5 tackles for loss, including 8.0 sacks.
Another physically gifted athlete, Joe Tryon, excelled in the Washington Huskies defensive scheme. He played the Hybrid left defensive end/outside linebacker spot. During his sophomore season at UW, Tryon had 12.5 tackles for loss, including eight sacks.
Tryon has the tools to be successful at the next level but is somewhat raw. Many experts believe he should have played in 2020 to develop his game further. Tryon’s limited set of moves will hold him back initially, as will his periodic lack of aggressiveness.
Because Tryon is strong and fast, scouts believe that he could become a top pass rusher with proper development and coaching. He’s both strong and fast. His explosiveness off the ball, combined with high effort and a non-stop motor, make Tryon very attractive to NFL teams.
It’s somewhat ironic the Tryon, like Onwuzurike, is favored to go to Tampa Bay. Cleveland would be a better home. Playing opposite Myles Garrett would create some interesting opportunities to get to the quarterback. Even if he goes to the Browns in Round 2, it’s still a good fit.
Tryon chooses violence on every play. There’s not an ounce of hesitation or softness in his game. He’s going to attack blockers with reckless abandon. At 6-foot-5 and just over 260 pounds, that’s a winning combination. Tryon was trending up in a big way toward the end of 2019, posting 29 pressures in his final seven games after only 12 in his first six outings. – Mike Renner, Pro Football Focus.
How do you think the Washington Huskies defensive line duo will do in the NFL Draft? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.