Oweh steals the show at Penn State Pro Day

A lot of people are going to look at that goose egg on the stat sheet where the sacks should be and wonder: Why all the fuss about Jayson Oweh?

In his third and final season at Penn State, the 6-foot-5, 252-pound defensive end played in seven games without bringing down an opposing quarterback. It was a statistical oddity that has caught a lot of people’s attention now that Oweh is preparing for the NFL Draft, and it generated a lengthy discussion during the BTN broadcast of Penn State’s Pro Day on Thursday.

But in his workout at Holuba Hall, Oweh showed definitively what all the fuss is about. His measurables were spectacular: a 4.36-second 40-yard dash, a 39.5-inch vertical leap and 21 reps on the bench press, among other testing results.

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What’s more, there have been plenty of testaments lately to his on-field impact, which went well beyond the sack column during his two seasons as a frequent contributor at Penn State. Last fall, he finished fourth on the team in tackles with 38 and was third in tackles for loss with 6.5 even though he missed two games. As a backup the previous year, he had 21 tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles. He did all that despite playing just two seasons of high school football before arriving in University Park. As defensive coordinator Brent Pry told BTN on Thursday, “He’s a very raw football player, but development is going to come.”

Speaking to reporters after his workout, Oweh acknowledged that his stat line from last season can’t just be waved off. “The zero sacks thing, it’s obviously there,” he said. “But if you really are a student of the game and if you really understand what’s going on in the game and you watch film, if you don’t just look at the box score, you understand that’s not who I am. That’s not the type of player I am.

“If you go off Indiana, I could have had five sacks in that game; things were just a split-second off. I feel like even if I did have five or six sacks, people would still come up with things to say. My best years of football are ahead of me. This is the best thing that could have happened to me, because I’m using it as motivation. People said that I was a pass-rush specialist the year before, now they’re saying I can only play the run. I just use this stuff as motivation. It’s helping me become a more complete football player.”

With his off-the-charts measurables and sky-high ceiling, Oweh is certain to hear his name called early in the draft. Pro Football Focus lists him as the No. 2 edge rusher available this year, and he certainly helped his cause on Thursday.

“It’s good to put it down and just let people know, these are really my numbers,” he said. “People wouldn’t believe it: It’s an anomaly, it can’t really happen. But I just did it. So it feels good to let people know who I am, show people who I really am. I could have done better in a few things, but it feels nice to get the recognition.”

A two-year letterman at Blair Academy in New Jersey, Oweh has come a long way in a short period of time. With the next step in his journey fast approaching, he is mindful of how quickly everything has come together for him.

“I started out playing football my junior year of high school,” Oweh said. “To be here in five years, it’s God’s plan, so it’s been a blessing.”

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