Will Eku Leota see his pass-rushing numbers increase in 2022?

Eku Leota is primed for a larger role in 2022.

There's a lot of excitement about Auburn's pass rush in 2022. The return of Derick Hall, Colby Wooden, and Eku Leota brings back a ton of athleticism to the defensive front and should be able to generate a pass rush early and often for Auburn's defense this season. 

This is our first installment of the Auburn Daily's Stat of the Day over the course of the offseason. 

The stat of the day: 

Eku Leota rushed the passer on 93.6% of his snaps last season. According to PFF, Leota won in pass-rushing downs 27% of the time. He tallied six sacks, three QB hits, and 14 hurries in 2021.

What it means:

Leota was one of the best pass rushers on Auburn's roster last year. He was third in pass-rushing grade according to PFF behind Hall and Wooden with a score of 76.0. 

He was a late bloomer in 2021 due to arriving on campus from Northwestern after finishing his degree well after spring practice had wrapped up. 

Leota didn't play in 30 snaps in a game until week five against LSU when he had a sack and three QB hurries while playing in a season-high 68 snaps. 

Leota just wrapped up his first spring during his Auburn tenure and it's safe to say he will be more comfortable in the defense. He also gained some weight from when he arrived a year ago. Auburn updated their roster before spring practice and the EDGE rusher jumped up 17 pounds and is now listed at 257 pounds. 

This added weight could lead to more reps for him on early downs due to being able to offer more in the run game. 

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