Film Review: What the New York Giants are Getting in Edge Ifeadi Odenigbo

There's quite a bit of potential in defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo, the New York Giants' latest signing. As always, Nick Falato breaks down the film to offer glimpses into what the Giants might be able to expect.

The Giants signed EDGE Ifeadi Odenigbo to a one-year, $2.5 million contract late on the league year's first official day. The former Minnesota Viking is only 26-years-old, and he has 10.5 sacks in the last two seasons. 

He also has 68 career pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. Odenigbo was a seventh-round draft pick out of Northwestern back in 2017, and he bounced around a couple of teams until ultimately landing back with the Vikings.

---

LockedOn Vikings host Luke Braun provides some insight on Ifeadi Odenigbo. You can hear the full interview with Luke on Friday's LockedOn Giants podcast.

---

Odenigbo has logged 1,106 defensive snaps in his career, and only 360 of them were rush snaps--there’s a reason for that. I don’t believe he’s a liability against the run, and he does very well when lined up against tight ends, but playing the run against bigger talented offensive tackles could pose a slight problem.

The arm length is an issue in the area of locking out on the EDGE. It’s not that he’s incapable of executing that assignment--he did it on film, but it just wasn’t always consistent against tackles. 

However, he was very consistent when tasked against tight ends in the run game. Typically offenses like to align a tight end on the back-side of running plays; their task is to eliminate the end man on the line of scrimmage and not allow him to be an effective back-side pursuit defender. Odenigbo made this job difficult for tight ends.

(on the tight end, the right side of the screen)

Odenigbo is a high motor guy who plays with his hair on fire. He’s constantly moving like the energizer bunny; these stretch zone run plays are difficult for offenses to run when Odenigbo is being blocked by a tight end on the back-side. 

He just does a great job keeping his chest clean and not allowing the blockers to get to his inside shoulder. We can see how he readjusts his hands and gets his outside shoulder in front of the tight end’s body. He does a great job positioning himself while moving laterally.

(over the right tight end)

Here’s an inside run out of the shotgun. Odenigbo doesn’t allow Anthony Firkser No. 86 to get close to him; he just uses his outside arm to stab real quick before engaging his good suddenness to restrict the inside gap and close down on Derrick Henry No. 22. 

Odenigbo is stout, compact, and strong at the point of attack against tight ends. It’s not that he fails to be strong against tackles either. It’s just his length disallows him from dictating reps and puts him into some precarious situations when he has to set the edge.

(left end)

Odenigbo is lined up over the strength here, and he takes MyCole Pruitt #85 and just tosses him aside. He gets both hands inside, using those big vice grips to grab, stack, and shed violently before completely disengaging from the tight end and filling his assignment to make a tackle. 

I love how he engages inside--his eyes follow the ball carrier's path as he flows laterally before using great timing to shed and make the play.

(lined up over left tackle)

I just wanted to share this play because I love it. This is a fourth and one, high leverage situation, and Odenigbo just tosses the left tackle to the ground to put his team in a position to make a big stop in the red zone. 

The upper body strength and awareness to know how to use Billy Turner’s No. 77 momentum against him speak to his processing ability.

(Right end)

He allows Jamaal Williams No. 30 to beat him around the edge in the clip above. He gets engaged by Turner, who initially does an okay job not allowing Odenigbo to set the EDGE, but the Viking breaks away and has a beat on Williams. 

His lack of length negates his ability to shoe-string tackle Williams to the ground, and the result is a few extra yards.

Pass Rush

Odenigbo is more of a pass rusher than a run stuffer. He plays with good leverage and play strength throughout his body. 

I wish he had a bit more of a plan; he does adjust his hands well up the arc, but his go-to move is a bull-rush, and it uses it frequently. Better offensive tackles gained a sense for his move and snatched him to the deck, as we’ll see below.

(Right side of the screen)

He plays with some reckless power and can be a bit out of control at times when he’s bull-rushing, but he does have some nuance to his pass-rushing ability,  especially when that half-man relationship is established up the arc.

(Right side of the screen between guard and tackle)

Odenigbo establishes contact with that inside arm and works outside and up-field. The guard then grazes the established arm, but he doesn’t stay square to Odenigbo and leaves his feet behind a bit. The pass rusher then brings that inside arm across the guard’s face, forcing the guard’s momentum to lean forward. 

Odenigbo wins the half-man relationship and rips underneath the guard to finish the play strong. He sets up these rip moves well once his quickness gets him into an advantageous position; tackles have to ensure that they flow up the arc, but that could leave them a bit more susceptible to an inside spin - something that Odenigbo has as a counter move.

(End on the right side)

We see Odenigbo as a wide rusher in the clip above, and he earns a sack by splitting a double team through sheer will and force. He goes for the initial bull-rush against the tackle, a move that is his primary pass-rushing choice. 

He’s stopped pretty quickly, and the guard then gets drawn into the blocking assignment. Odenigbo stays low and uses his arms to pry open the two blockers, where he finds a crevice and gets the sack.

(End on the left side)

This sack should more so be credited to the coverage, but we can see his hand usage at the top of the arc come into play once again. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers snaps the ball quickly, and Odenigbo works away from the guard to isolate himself against the tackle. 

He does a good job trying to get up the arc and break away from the tackle's grasp, which is very difficult to do when in this position. Upon observing closely, Odenigbo takes his outside arm and presses the tackle’s arm downward while almost simultaneously bringing that inside arm through for a rip move underneath. This disengages the grasp and frees Odenigbo up for the sack. 

These crafty hand moves in tight spaces allow him to corner a better manner; Odenigbo does have some bend, but he’s not overly flexible, so his use of hands in this area helps him win at the top of the pass-rushing arc.

(Left end)

Here’s another sack that can be somewhat attributed to the coverage, but I love the adjustments Odenigbo makes throughout the play. He gets chipped by the tight end and then engages the tackle with a bull-rush attempt. He owns the pad-level war, and he generates a second push to put the tackle on some ice skates. 

As he’s doing that, he keeps his inside arm on the breastplate and uses that outside arm to swat the tackle’s outside arm downward, which retracts the tackle’s command on the rep. 

He then uses his might to push the tackle backward and bring that inside arm outside to use a rip move to disengage fully. Odenigbo gets a sack, and his craftiness to engage that rip move continues to help him, albeit with the help of some good coverage.

---

More Film Reviews from Nick Falato:

• What the New York Giants Are Getting in WR John Ross 
• What the New York Giants Are Getting in RB Devontae Booker

---

Final Thoughts

Odenigbo’s presence makes this Giants’ EDGE group better--there’s no doubt about it. The uncertainties surrounding the health of both Oshane Ximines and Lorenzo Carter are concerning. That is compounded by the pending losses of Kyler Fackrell and Jabaal Sheard--Odenigbo fits the latter’s role a bit more. 

The newly signed Giant probably won’t be asked to drop into coverage all that often. He’s more of a power rusher who plays with excellent competitive toughness. He uses his hands well once he has established the half-man relationship, especially when setting up his rip move, but he still needs to develop a more consistent pass rush plan. 

He’s not a liability against the run, but his lack of length will affect his ability to set the edge consistently—he’s more suited for passing downs. All in all, this is a very good singing at the price tag—low risk, high upside, on a young pass rusher who is still developing. 

---

What's next for the Giants this off-season? Sign up for our FREE newsletter for all the latest, and be sure to follow and like us on Facebook. Submit your questions for our mailbag. And don't forget to check out the daily LockedOn Giants podcast, also available for subscription wherever you find podcasts.