Arnold Ebiketie | Penn State 6’2” 250 lbs. | 1/24/1999 (Age 23)
Arnold Ebiketie was drafted with the 6th pick in the second round by the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the 6th edge defender and the 38th overall player in the 2022 NFL Draft.
COLLEGE PRODUCTION
Ebiketie was a three-star recruit from Kensington, Maryland who began his college career at Temple. He didn’t emerge until his junior year but parlayed his performance in a pandemic-shortened season into a scholarship at Penn State. He replaced Odafe Oweh, a first-round pick of the Ravens last year, and capitalized on his opportunity. Ebiketie collected 62 tackles including 18 for loss and 9.0 sacks while starting all 12 games for the Nittany Lions in 2021.
FILM
Ebiketie, a native of the equatorial African country Cameroon, moved to the United States at age 12 and took up football while in high school. Although a late bloomer in light of his age, Ebiketie showed potential to contribute immediately in a pass-rush rotation according to scouts.
ATHLETIC TESTING
At 6’ 2” 250 lbs., Ebiketie is undersized as an NFL edge rusher; however, he has the burst and agility necessary to be successful in the league. He checked in with a 40-yard dash time of 4.66, a three-cone time of 6.95, and a 38” vertical. His only non-elite measurements were his 10-yard split, his bench press reps, and of course his size according to his Relative Athletic Score. With a score of 8.9 out of 10, Ebiketie ranked 20th in a deep class of potential NFL-caliber edge defenders.
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Rapid Reaction to Draft Capital: Good
Rapid Reaction to Landing Spot: Excellent
Moore was selected with the 38th-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
FANTASY INSIGHTS
Several NFL teams are absolutely starved for pass-rush productivity, and the Falcons are at the top of the list. They collected the fewest sacks in the NFL with 18, 11 fewer than the next team. Ebiketie’s competition for snaps will be 2021 5th-round pick Ade Ogundeji and free-agent signee Lorenzo Carter. Neither player has distinguished himself to date in the NFL.
The Falcons’ defense is built on 3-4 architecture and routinely deploys light pass rushers. Ebiketie will rarely be tasked with lining up over an offensive tackle that outweighs him by 80 pounds. He could be pressed into service more quickly than edge defenders drafted before him; however, defensive coordinator Dean Pees’s defense won’t expose him to the same frequency of punishment and failure in run defense as others.
Ebiketie is a draftable player in IDP dynasty leagues that require nine or more starting defenders and adequate roster sizes to hold players while they develop. He’s unlikely to emerge as a quality fantasy option in 2022 but could be worth a spot start late in the season due to his potential for a high volume of snaps. He has enough upside to become a useful second or third edge defender in typical fantasy leagues in time.
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