The 2020 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Justin Madubuike 2020 NFL Draft profile.

Background

Position: Defensive Tackle

Size: 6-foot-3, 293 pounds

Class: Junior

2019 stats: 45 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 1 interception, 2 passes defended, 1 forced fumble

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7fYDHu7Fwo

Madubuike entered college as a highly-recruited player and decided to stay in-state and attend Texas A&M. He saw the field early on in his time at College Station, which gave him plenty of time to prove he was worthy of being an NFL Draft pick.

As a freshman in 2017, he saw the field in all 13 games registering 20 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. The Aggies went 7-6 with a loss in the Belk Bowl. In 2018, under new head coach Jimbo Fisher, Madubuike had 40 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. The team won nine games that season. This season, he totaled 45 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, as the Aggies won eight games including the Texas Bowl.

After three solid seasons at Texas A&M, Madubuike declared for the 2020 NFL Draft. He is one of the top few defensive tackles in the class and should be selected in the first or second round.

Strengths

Madubuike is an explosive athlete and displayed that at the NFL Combine. He ran a 4.83 40-yard dash, which is better than some non-linemen. His ability to get off the line of scrimmage and create pressure shows off his athleticism. He also has quickness, which is key because it helps him win as an undersized defensive lineman.

He has great strength, which helps him win often. Madubuike can shed blocks well and can get past his blocker, despite being much smaller than them most of the time. His strength also allows him to take on double teams, which frees up other players to make plays.

His pad level is consistently low, which helps him keep his power throughout a play. He is already undersized, but because he gets low and gets under offensive linemen, he wins a lot of matchups. Maintaining his leverage will be essential to his success at the next level.

Weaknesses

Madubuike is undersized, which means he will continuously be going up against much bigger blockers. Players who are stronger than him will have a chance to shut him down. He’ll need to add some play strength to be better at the NFL level.

He also doesn’t have the greatest length. In college, he struggled with players who were able to extend their arms on him. This issue will be tougher in the pros to deal with, so he’ll have to find ways to combat it better. He’ll need to find ways to keep offensive linemen from stopping him early on in plays with their arm extension.

His motor is inconsistent. He does have a tendency to take plays off, which will need to stop. Madubuike will go all out some plays, but not show up on others. He will have to show up every play if he wants to keep his job in the NFL.

Projected Draft Range: First Round Pick-Second Round Pick

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