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Eagles Film Review: Moro Ojomo is really fun to watch

NFL: MAY 05 Eagles Minicamp Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

With the 2023 NFL Draft over, it’s time for some film rooms on the Philadelphia Eagles’ rookie class. I will try and get to all the players and some UDFAs over the next few weeks. There are loads of scouting reports that will obviously say very similar things, so I have tried to include film clips to back up everything and I will talk about the player’s fit with the Eagles at the end of the piece. I watched the all22 on several rookies, but I can’t share those clips on my own Twitter accounts (or I risk getting blocked), so I’ve used a few other accounts here. Let’s go!

PREVIOUSLY IN THIS SERIES: Jalen Carter review | Nolan Smith review | Tyler Steen review | Sydney Brown review | Kelee Ringo review | Tanner McKee review

Strengths

+ Good athlete. Tested really well at the Combine, especially the vertical and broad jump.

+ Has really long arms and it shows up on tape. Helps him to anchor effectively. Just watch his arms show up in all of the clips below...

+ Uses his long arms to help disengage from offensive linemen in the run game.

+ Long arms also show up when he lines up at DE. He shows the ability to rip or swim past offensive linemen and has the versatility to take some snaps as a DE.

+ Flashes a potentially good bull rush at times too but it’s inconsistent.

+ Has some fantastic reps where he fights through double-teams too.

+ Jumps off the snap when he times it well and can burst through gaps or avoid offensive linemen to get to the ball carrier.

+ Only 21 years old (turns 22 in August), has room to develop and grow.

Weaknesses

- Doesn’t convert speed-to-power at this point with any consistency.

- Seems late off the ball too often and it isn’t due to athleticism, but down to his timing of the snap and anticipation.

- Sometimes wins as a pass rusher but doesn’t have the closing speed to finish.

- Lack of production highlights weakness as a pass rusher. 5 career sacks.

- He’s a run defender at this point but he’s a little light and you see him get moved at times. Needs to add some weight to take on double teams and hold up as a run defender. I’m not sure he could hold up as a 3 technique in a 4-man front at his current weight.

Overall

When I get to breaking down the Day 3 picks, it can sometimes get harder to find the motivation to write about them. I’m just being honest. But after I started watching Moro Ojomo, I couldn’t stop. I watched him a lot. I kept trying to find obvious holes in his game and to figure out what I am missing with him. Watching Ojomo reminded me of watching Jalen Mills' film after the Eagles selected him in the 7th round of the 2016 NFL Draft. It was just obvious he was better than a 7th round pick, and it felt the same watching Ojomo. Ojomo is really fun to watch. I can’t believe he fell to the 7th round and had I watched him pre-draft, I probably would have had a 4th-round grade on him.

In terms of why he fell, I can only assume it’s the lack of pass-rushing production combined with the size. Although I really liked his film, at this point he is essentially a slightly undersized defensive tackle who isn’t a great pass rusher. Some NFL teams want bigger 3 techniques and whilst Ojomo’s anchor held up in college at his size, I imagine that NFL teams are not certain his anchor will hold up at the next level. This is where the NFL Draft is a projection and why it’s hard to always be right. Because I watched a lot of film on Ojomo and the film absolutely does not show a 7th-round player. So it’s either concern about whether he can hold up at that size at the next level that has caused him to fall, or there is medical stuff or off-the-field concerns that we do not know about.

Despite raving about him, he is a 7th-round pick on a loaded defensive line so isn’t even a lock to make the roster. I think there is a player there though and I hope he makes it, or at least makes it onto the practice squad for a year. I imagine the 6th defensive tackle spot is between Ojomo, Marlon Tuipulotu, and Kentavius Street. I think Street is a better pass rusher so he may be the one who makes it, but I can’t help but feel like there is some potential with Ojomo and he might just sneak it onto the roster. If he does make the roster, I wouldn’t expect much in year one, but I think he can become a good early down option as one of the 4i’s in the Eagles’ 5-man front. For a 7th round pick, he feels like a steal.

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