2020 NFL Draft: 12 Standouts from college football bowl season
1. A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa
A.J. Epenesa is a name that all draft fanatics have heard or seen at one point or another. Epenesa is a dominant force at defensive end for Iowa, capable of making big plays in big games. And thanks to his dominant performance against USC, he’s getting the spotlight once again.
Epenesa’s 2.5 sacks and forced fumble against USC is one of the many reasons why he could hear his name called inside the top 10 picks of the 2020 NFL Draft. He was dominant in bowl season and that’s just the exclamation point on an extremely impressive college career with the Hawkeyes.
Epenesa is a power base end with strong hands and solid burst. He’s not limited to just playing outside, so creative defensive coordinators can kick the 6-6, 280-pound edge rusher inside on passing downs. 3-4 teams can also plug and play the lengthy athlete at the five-technique. His name hasn’t been spoken as one of the elite prospects often enough but he is.
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The Iowa standout easily compares to versatile players like Cameron Jordan and Cameron Heyward. The dominance he creates with his disruptive nature comes from his motor and playing style is coveted at the pro level. Epenesa’s stock will continue to climb after he dominated in his final college football game.