From now until the 2024 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Alabama DL Justin Eboigbe.
#92 JUSTIN EBOIGBE, DL, ALABAMA (R-SENIOR) – 6041, 297 POUNDS.
Senior Bowl Invite
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Justin Eboigbe | 6041/297 | 9 5/8 | 33 3/8″ | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 5.18 | 1.8 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | 28″ | N/A |
THE GOOD
— Possesses the size and length you look for at the position
— Filled-out frame with the play strength to take on blocks
— Can hold his own at the point of attack and take on double teams
— Does a good job working off blocks in pursuit of the football
— Is a complete mismatch for tight ends as a run defender
— Played up and down the line of scrimmage at Alabama
— Plays with great pursuit of the football, his motor running hot
— Has a mean bull rush to knock offensive linemen back in the pocket
— Can execute the swim, club/rip, and push/pull moves as a pass rusher
— Does a great job looping around on twists and stunts into open gaps
— Will continue to fight blocks to pick up effort sacks/tackles after first rush is stalled
THE BAD
— Isn’t incredibly twitchy when it comes to burst or quickness at the position
— Lacks great bend and flexibility to turn the corner or make quick changes of direction
— Can get too high at times when taking on blocks
— Needs to do a better job of stringing together counter rushes to his first move
— Will get locked onto blocks as a pass rusher, neutralizing his impact
BIO
— Redshirt Senior prospect from Forest Park, Ga.
— Born April 9, 2001
— 2019 Under Armour All-America Game invite, consensus four-star recruit
— Committed to Alabama and played in 10 games with two starts as a true freshman and made 10 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks
— Played in 13 games in 2020 and posted 19 total tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, and an interception
— Played in 13 games in 2021 and posted 19 total tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, two pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries
— Played in four games in 2022 before missing the rest of the season due to injury, made 11 total tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss
— Broke out in 2023, starting 14 games and posting 64 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, and one pass deflection
— Second-team All-SEC (2023)
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Justin Eboigbe left his home state of Georgia where he starred in high school to play for the Crimson Tide of Alabama on Saturdays, becoming a contributing member of their defensive front for the past five seasons. That time spent developing and honing his craft paid off for Eboigbe in 2023. He put together his best season statistically, positing 11.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks as a big, versatile defensive lineman and intriguing draft prospect.
When you plug in the tape on Eboigbe, you see a defensive lineman built similar to what the Pittsburgh Steelers covet. He is 6-4, 292 pounds with nearly 33-inch arms, making the measurables of a Pittsburgh defensive lineman. He also has the skill set you like to see as he played all over the line of scrimmage for the Crimson Tide, lining up outside of the tackle all the way to head up on the center.
Eboigbe’s strength is his prowess as a run defender, being stout at the point of attack. He can take on double-team blocks and hold his ground as well as work off blocks in pursuit of the football. Check out this play Eboigbe makes as he strings out the offensive lineman toward the sideline. He plays off the block to make the tackle on the runner attempting to get to the edge, holding him to a minimal gain.
When Eboigbe lines up on the edge, he’s a complete mismatch for opposing tight ends, who struggle to handle his sheer size and strength. Take this rep against LSU where Eboigbe manhandles the tight end, going right through him as he makes the tackle in the backfield.
Eboigbe has no problem taking on blocks and working off them in pursuit of the ball carrier. He also displays great pursuit of the ball as you can see in the clips below. Running across the face of the tight end from Texas in the first clip, he hunts down the running back on the backside of the play in the first clip. In the second clip, he works through the block of the center of LSU as he shoots into the backfield. Rounding his pursuit of the runner to the outside, he brings him down before he can reach the line of scrimmage for a loss.
As a pass rusher, Eboigbe can win several different ways, be it by scheme, technique, or just pure effort. Watch this first clip of Eboigbe looping around on the twist against LSU. After initially getting walled off by a blocker, he works his way back inside to make the sack. In the second clip, watch Eboigbe execute the pull/pull on the center. Yanking him to the side, he gets into the backfield to pressure the quarterback before he scrambles out of the pocket.
Eboigbe is most effective as a pass rusher with his bull rush, using his size and strength to knock back opposing blockers into the lap of the quarterback. That’s exactly what he does in this clip below against Texas A&M. Taking the right tackle and knocking back onto his heels, he goes through his inside shoulder to get into the pocket and sack the quarterback in the end zone for the safety.
Eboigbe isn’t the most technically refined pass rusher and does get stuck on blocks quite often while in pursuit of the quarterback. He needs to play with more consistent leverage and have a counter rush to go to if his initial rush fails, otherwise he gets taking out of the play like on this rep against the Tigers. Eboigbe can’t shed the block, giving QB Jayden Daniels time to find open grass and scramble out of the pocket for positive yardage.
CONCLUSION
Justin Eboigbe may have been a late bloomer when it comes to making a splash on the stat sheet, but he bided his time and has become a well-rounded defensive lineman who should interest plenty of teams thanks to his versatility to play in multiple defensive fronts. He needs to continue to improve as a pass rusher and work on his hand usage to get off blocks. But he has shown flashes of being a capable interior pass rusher as well as a strong run defender, giving him the opportunity to become a rotational player at worst at the next level with the opportunity to earn a starting role down the road.
When coming up with a pro comparison for Eboigbe, Bilal Nichols came to mind. Another versatile defensive lineman who got drafted out of Delaware in 2018, he became a bit of a gem for the Chicago Bears as a fifth-round pick. He possesses similar measurables to Eboigbe and a similar play style, being a stout run defender who can take on blocks while flashing as a pass rusher, having become a starter for the Bears and Raiders.
I see Eboigbe in a similar mold, not having the highest ceiling but having a high, safe floor as a contributing member of a defensive front. Pittsburgh could use another defensive lineman to rotate in at 3-tech/4i with Cameron Heyward getting long in the tooth, and Eboigbe would be a good fit with his size and skill set as a plus run defender as he continues to develop as a pass rusher.
Projection: Late Day Two/Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 7.6 – Potential Starter/Good Backup (3rd Round)
Games Watched: vs LSU (2023), vs Texas (2023), at Texas A&M (2023)
