Why Jayson Oweh Always Planned to Return to Penn State

Penn State defensive end Jayson Oweh is a projected first-round NFL draft pick. Still, he never planned to opt out of 2020.

Jayson Oweh, Penn State's "freak" defensive end and potential NFL first-rounder, had no plans to opt out of a 2020 football season, even when he was training in California with fellow "freak" Micah Parsons.

"It was never smart for me to do that," Oweh said.

By returning, Oweh, a redshirt sophomore who might be the fastest 260-pound player in the nation, will take advantage of the chance to showcase how he plays beyond speed. In fact, he insists on it.

With or without Parsons, Oweh always was going to be among Penn State's most intriguing defensive players. He played more than 300 snaps last season, generating pressure through his astonishing speed (Oweh ran a 4.33 40-yard dash in 2019) that led to two strip-sacks against Michigan State.

This offseason, both at home and during his workouts in California with Parsons and Penn State linebacker Jesse Luketa, Oweh sought to add more elements to his game. Like a bull-rush move to be more physical, and more consistent footwork to improve his run defense. He also studied pre-snap reads of plays to better understand when to use each move.

As a result, Oweh expects to be an even better defensive end this year alongside fellow starter Shaka Toney.

"The way I’m playing the run is way better," Oweh said. "I'm adding more technique to my rush, having more of a plan, not trying to be one-dimensional and just rushing outside all the time."

In September, before the Big Ten announced its restart, Oweh joined Parsons in California for some concentrated training. The visit prompted speculation that Oweh might skip whatever season Penn State played. He called that untrue. "I was always going to come back," he said.

Oweh said he still has plenty to learn about playing defensive end, and the time in California helped him understand, among other things, how Parsons uses agility to his advantage. That's something he's trying to do better himself.

"That's a thing Micah does well; he's an agility master," Oweh said. "He knows how to move his bodyweight fast. You see that a lot in his game and how he makes tackles. ... I was trying to get better at that in [California], and I feel like I have."

Oweh certainly hasn't lost any speed. Though he hasn't tested in the 40-yard dash lately, Oweh said, "I know I'm faster." As they have often since their freshman years, Parsons and Oweh raced while in California. Parsons called himself the 20-yard dash champ.

"All I'm going to say is, camera angle," Oweh said.

Oweh's speed is legendary and often alarming to Penn State's offense. Quarterback Sean Clifford called Oweh "very, very, very fast," adding that, "it definitely makes me pick up my speed a little bit when he's coming off the edge."

Running back Journey Brown, meanwhile, tried to find the right word to describe Oweh.

"Jayson's more like, what’s that thing, an anomaly? Like you just don’t know how it works?" Brown said. "He’s that big and runs that fast. It's a scary thing."

What people might not see, Oweh said, is his work ethic, both on and off the field. That's what will make him a player to watch, Oweh said. And he'll have more opportunity to display it this season.

"I feel like that's the most underrated thing that people just don't notice about my game," he said. "I feel like I'm very productive. When I'm in there, I do my work. I try to do it to the best of my ability. ... I feel like, with the opportunity to have more [snaps this season], I could be even more productive."

Get the latest Penn State news by joining the community. Click "Follow" at the top right of our AllPennState page. Mobile users click the notification bell. And please follow AllPennState on Twitter @MarkWogenrich.