Joseph Ossai - Texas-Size Talent

By: Hussam Patel

Joseph Ossai is the consensus First team All-American, and a long prospect who has a rare combo of speed and power. He's just scratching the surface of his ability, which is scary. Ossai possesses great size, and his athletic ability and explosiveness is evident. He can be an Off-ball Linebacker in a 3-4 scheme or an edge rusher in a 4-3 scheme. 

Your regularly scheduled Joseph Ossai tweet □#HookEm pic.twitter.com/adtx9EG5A1

— Jeff Barker (@JeffBarker_) November 7, 2020

At Texas, he struggled to become both, but found his calling as a Stand-up rusher in a 3-4 and 4-3 scheme. Coming off the edge, he wins not only with his big time explosiveness, but also his understanding of how to win and maintain leverage. 

Joseph Ossai called GAME!

The @TexasFootball EDGE sacks Spencer Sanders to end the game and finishes with a stat line of:

•12 Tackles
•7 TFLs
•FF & FR
•3 Sacks

Is Joseph Ossai working his up draft boards? #HookEm pic.twitter.com/BfymkVC94j

— NFL Draft Prospects Podcast (@nflprospectspod) November 1, 2020

He has a good anchor, has no issue walking offensive tackles back into their backfields, and can collapse running lanes as he drives his feet. He can get parallel in run support and is ferocious in pursuit of the ball carrier. 

The @Big12Conference refs can pretend all they want, but I saw this Joseph Ossai Pick 6 myself. I know it happened. We will not be silenced. #HookEm pic.twitter.com/wGU1EhjDwq

— The Fire Steve Sarkisian Podcast (@TheFSSPodcast) September 2, 2019

Ossai is raw in pass coverage, and could be used as an occasional dropper in coverage, but not all the time. When asked to play zone, it proves to be his key weakness, and he would not be an ideal fit going man to man against faster RBs and TEs.