Raiders NFL Draft Prospect: Arnold Ebiketie, Penn State

Edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie transferred to Penn State to show everyone he has the talent to play at the next level.

Penn State Nittany Lion Arnold Ebiketie transferred from Temple after spending three seasons with the Owls, and he’s been on a mission to show everyone he has the skills to play at the next level.

Ebiketie’s last season at Temple started to generate attention around his pass rushing skills, but it wasn’t until an impressive season in the the Big Ten that really helped elevate his game and draft stock.

“Ebiketie lines up in a plethora of ways at the line of scrimmage including in a stand-up two-point stance, three-point stance and four-point stance. He is really quick out of the blocks, no matter what his starting stance is,” NFL Draft Bible noted.

At 6-foot-3, 256 pounds, the Las Vegas Raiders can utilize his size and pass rushing skills to generate quick pressure off the line of scrimmage.

Throughout the college season, Ebiketie looked unstoppable, passing by offensive linemen and getting to the quarterback quickly.

Just finished PSU EDGE Arnold Ebiketie's film - can't wait to see what he does in Mobile

Stand up rusher that can win with speed to the outside+turn the corner, straight power or even counter inside

He's got a reel of demolishing QBs ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/bzNGVPvHjC

— Connor Rogers (@ConnorJRogers) January 9, 2022

While he looks more of a pass rusher than a run defender, his run defense can develop after a few seasons.

Ebiketie went on to finish the season with 52 pressures, 62 total tackles (34 solo), 9.5 sacks, 18 tackles for losses and two forced fumbles.

According to Pro Football Focus, he produced a 90.5 pass-rushing grade, ranking among the best edge rushers entering the draft.

“[Ebiketie] Uses his explosiveness well to convert speed to power when rushing the passer. Good body contortion to manipulate his feet and shoulder angle to attack the inside shoulder from a wide seven or nine-technique position,” NFL Draft Bible added.

His impressive 2021 season led to an invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl, although he did not play at the game, he showcased his pass rushing skills during the drills and showed that he indeed can line up against the very best.

Some scouts have Ebiketie coming off the board as early as the late first round, but with so much talent in this year’s draft, I can see him slipping off no later than the third round.

If the Raiders plan to move to a 3-4 defense, Ebiketie is a perfect fit, the edge rusher may convert to a linebacker in the future but he looks to be an early contributor on sub-packages.

With a need to get to the quarterback quickly, Ebiketie is a pass rusher who will look to win with his quickness, burst, and lateral movement ability.

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