2020 NFL Draft: Jabari Zuniga looks to return to form

Florida edge rusher Jabari Zuniga is set to return to the field Saturday against LSU and looks to build on his once ascending NFL Draft stock.

The 6-foot-4, 246-pound redshirt senior was reportedly available to play last week against Auburn, but he faces a huge test against LSU in his return from a four-game absence due to an ankle injury.

Zuniga was off to a strong start to the season, registering three sacks through two games and began to look like one of the top edge players in the class through the first two games.

As I discussed earlier in the year, Zuniga is one of the most dynamic edge rushers that this draft class has to offer.

He’s relentless and flies off the ball with low pad level, making it difficult for tackles to get their hands on him. Zuniga converts speed to power and has a handful of go to moves to help him win on the outside.

Florida has been able to get after the quarterback despite his absence, in large part due to redshirt senior Jonathan Greenard. Greenard has displayed impressive quickness and polish coming off the edge and forms a very potent duo opposite Zuniga.

They flashed how dangerous they can be against Miami in the season opener, and the former Louisville defensive end currently leads the Gators with four sacks in 2019.

The two will play a key role as Florida looks to slow down the scorching LSU offensive attack led by redshirt senior quarterback Joe Burrow. Burrow has already passed for 1,864 yards and a career-high 22 touchdowns.

One of the biggest questions about Zuniga’s game is his ability to hold up at the point-of-attack. He’s displayed flashes but his size makes it a bit of an uphill battle as he refines his skill in run support.

The Tigers’ pass-first approach differs from their traditional downhill running-based attack, but Zuniga will still get a good test against LSU’s powerful front.

LSU has the personnel to execute on the ground and rushed a season-high 51 times last week. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see them try to establish the rushing attack given Florida’s talent in the secondary.

The result of the game likely hangs on the Gators’ ability to get after the quarterback, and Zuniga is going to play a crucial part in doing so. He might not be the same caliber prospect as Ohio State’s Chase Young, but Zuniga has intriguing upside and could be a steal in the 2020 NFL Draft.