From now until the 2025 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, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Oklahoma Edge Rusher Ethan Downs.
No. 40 ETHAN DOWNS/EDGE OKLAHOMA – 6036, 269 POUNDS (SENIOR)
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Ethan Downs | 6036/269 | 10 1/2 | 31 | 77 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.69 | 1.62 | 4.59 | 7.58 | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’11” | 34 | 32 |
THE GOOD
– Rangy athlete that can be used in stunts effectively
– Good explosiveness off the line
– High IQ defender that reads out screens well
– Spills pullers extremely well, making running back bounce outside
– Locates ball carrier quickly and attacks with good closing speed
– Rock-solid run defender that fits gaps well
– Strong contact balance
– Secure tackler
– High motor
– Wins with effort, not because of skill
– Team leader
THE BAD
– Aligns mostly as a 4 or 4i, but does not have the weight to hold up consistently
– Tweener that has the body type of a true edge rusher but aligns as a 3-4 defensive end
– Weaker play strength that gets exposed vs strong offensive linemen
– Can get pushed around in the run game due to weak play strength
– Low ceiling as a pass rusher
– Does not win as a pass rusher with hands; more of a bull rusher
– Short arms get snuffed out by long offensive linemen
BIO
– Started 37 games across 4 years at Oklahoma
– 2024: 29 tackles. 9 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 2 pass deflections, and 2 QB hurries
– Received the Bob Kalsu Award, given to an Oklahoma player who personified spirit of leadership
– 2023: 28 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 1 interception, and 6 QB hurries
– Named to All-Big 12 Second team
– 1 of 11 FBS players selected for Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
– 2022: 38 tackles, 13.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 3 pass deflections, and 9 QB hurries
– Named to All-Big 12 Second Team
– Four-star recruit out of Weatherford High School in Oklahoma
– Rated the No. 1 player in Oklahoma
– Played running back and rushed for 1,250 career yards and 16 touchdowns. He also registered 1,000 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns
– Named to All-State when he led his team to a state championship appearance as a junior
– Also lettered in track and field, winning the Oklahoma 4A shot put state title
– Coaches have described him as a servant leader, as he would stay late to clean up the locker room and give kids rides home to kids who did not have one
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Ethan Downs is a fun player to watch because he is reliable. He is a team leader, not just because of his accolades, but it shows when seeing how hard he plays. This guy gives 100% effort anytime he is on the field, and until the whistle is blown, he is trying to make a play. When the ball is ahead of him, he hustles down the field to chase the ball carrier from behind. He swarms to the ball every snap, even when he does not have a chance to make the tackle. He is a role model for younger players because of his high-energy play.
I think Downs can be a positive run defender in the NFL due to his constant motor and ability to stay in his gaps. He will not make a ton of tackles for loss, but he will hold his blocker up, locate the ball carrier, and attack. He explodes off the ball, which speaks to his good athletic ability, and he can cross the face of offensive linemen to come out of nowhere and make a play. He plays zone read very well, focusing on his role and even making some impact plays where he plays the quarterback and running back. On this play, he makes an impact by immediately switching gaps on the snap of the ball and stonewalling the running back.
When a puller comes his way, Downs plays this perfectly, adjusting for his gap on each call. His contact balance is strong enough not to get knocked over. When he needs to spill, he gets on that inside shoulder of the lineman, forcing the running back to bounce outside, and the force player cleans up the rest. If he is outside contain, he attacks with square shoulders and adjusts for where the running back goes. He is a secure tackler, and if a ball carrier is in his area, he will make the play.
The thing that worries me as a run defender is his body type. While he is listed as an edge rusher, he plays as a 4 or 4i most of the time but only weighs 269. He is not big enough to play within the tackles at the NFL, and that weight can show up against stronger blockers. In the NFL, every lineman he faces will be stronger than him. When the lineman works downhill, he can get driven out of his gap to the second level. This does not happen on every play, but it will occur more often in the NFL. On zone runs, he can get lost in the shuffle and eliminated from the play, simply by being walled off from a lineman.
As a pass rusher, Downs can win with a strong-effort bull rush, but other than that, he does not offer much value. When he fires off the ball, he can push an offensive lineman into the quarterback, but that only happened twice in the four games I watched. Due to his rangy athleticism and how he explodes off the ball, he can be used in stunts. On this play, he uses space to get a head of steam and pushes the guard into the quarterback, forcing an incompletion.
His short arms do not offer any help as he fails to use his hands to get past an offensive tackle. He does not have any skill pass rush moves, he is a player who tries to run through offensive lineman. When he tries to use his hands, a long-armed offensive tackle will snuff them out immediately and put him away. He showed some ability as a bull rusher, but his light weight and average play strength will not allow him to thrive off that. He does not get exposed as a pass rusher, but he is a low-ceiling player who must improve his hand usage to do any real damage.
In this play, he tries to use his hands to beat the tackle but is easily taken care of.
CONCLUSION
Ethan Downs is a team leader who has played a lot of snaps, but he is a tweener who has trouble rushing the passer on the edge and has average play strength that can be pushed around in between the tackles. The thing he does best is defend the run, and I think he can offer teams value as a backup who can play on early downs. He is a hard worker who will have a spot in the league, but his ceiling limits what that role can be. My comp for him is Tyquan Lewis.
Projection: Mid-Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.1 – 4th Round (Rotational Player)
Games Watched: vs Texas (2024), at Missouri (2024), vs Alabama (2024), at LSU (2024)
