Scouting the 2020 NFL draft: A.J. Epenesa, DL, Iowa

In our latest installment of the ‘Scouting the 2020 NFL Draft’ series, we focus on Iowa Hawkeyes standout defensive lineman, A.J. Epenesa.

Few defensive line prospects will begin the 2019 college football season with as much hype and intrigue as Iowa’s A.J. Epenesa, the incredibly strong defensive end who enjoyed a double-digit sack season last fall. He joins Ohio State’s Chase Young as one of the top pass-rushers in the country and a prospect who teams will likely view as an early-round pick, assuming he stays healthy and produces similar numbers.

Epenesa was a three-sport star in high school, earning letters in football, basketball and track. He set the Illinois state record in the discus throw, which is indicative of his overall power and explosive athleticism.

As a freshman in 2017, Epenesa appeared in 13 games, registering 15 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. He was named to the Big 10 All-Freshman team that year. He burst onto the scene last season when he finished the year with 37 tackles, 10.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. He was a Second Team All-Big-10 coaches’ selection.

Physically, Epenesa is a big, strong and powerful edge player, standing an estimated 6-6 and 280 pounds. He carries his weight extremely well and has a body-type similar to former 49ers star, Justin Smith. His power and ability to control the point of attack has a chance to be pretty special, especially considering he should only get stronger as he continues to mature. The only real question with his physical makeup is his length (arms).

Athletically, Epenesa is coordinated and capable of changing directions well for a guy his size. He doesn’t have great burst, but he plays with a high motor from snap to whistle. His effort and hustle keep him involved in plays even though his closing speed isn’t at an elite level.

As a run defender, Epenesa has a strong anchor and a powerful, explosive style of play. His heavy hands jolt opposing linemen on contact and his strength and above-average hand play serves him well. He stacks, sheds and gets after the ball. He won’t be a star in pursuit, but plays run in his direction will struggle to find success.

As a pass rusher, Epenesa relies on a powerful bull rush that he complements well with some advance hand-to-hand combat. He can chop himself free en route to the quarterback and does a nice job discarding offensive linemen at the top of his pass rush. He’s a handful and will batter and bruise his opponent for four quarters.

Overall, Epenesa is a good-looking defensive end prospect who will be a coach’s favorite in draft rooms next April. His blue-collar ground-and-pound style translates well to a 4-3 scheme and if his length checks out, he has more than enough bulk to play defensive end in a 3-4, too. He compares favorably to former Bengals first-round pick Justin Smith, who became better known for his Pro Bowl seasons with the 49ers. Smith was the fourth overall pick in 2001, and while the game has changed a bit since then, Epenesa has a chance to be as highly regarded in 2020.