Duke Ejiofor, Wake Forest: 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report
By Jon Dove
Wake Forest’s Duke Ejiofor is an edge defender who can get after the quarterback using a wide array of moves.
Duke Ejiofor mainly works with his hand in the dirt at Wake Forest, but will need to play off the line in the NFL. He doesn’t have the overall size or bulk needed to hold up at the point of attack. Instead, his athleticism and movement skills make him a good fit as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 system.
Ejiofor may lack ideal bulk but he does feature good arm length. He is committed to gaining inside hand while using leverage to deliver a jolt. This helps him create some space as he works his way to the ball carrier.
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Against the run, he mainly looks to shoot around the blocker rather than anchoring and disengaging. Ejiofor features enough quickness to slip past the block and make plays away from his frame. However, his hand usage and leverage mean that he could improve his anchor with some added strength.
Ejiofor features several effective pass rush moves including a rip, swim and spin move. He also flashes the quickness and balance to gain the edge and flatten around the corner.
This is a defender who plays with a good motor and is always in pursuit of the football. Ejiofor is someone who could enter the league and quickly flourish as a situational pass rusher. He would need to improve his ability to support the run in order to be a more rounded player.
Ejiofor doesn’t have much experience dropping into coverage, but flashes the athleticism and balanced needed to make that transition.
His combination of quickness, effort and pass rush moves means that he should be able to routinely generate pressure. This is what makes him a solid prospect and someone who could hear his name called on day two of the draft.