Oklahoma football: Summer arrival profile – David Ugwoegbu
Tall, twitchy and always at full speed, could David Ugwoegbu be the type of player who can contribute immediately for Oklahoma football?
The Sooners went out and recruited hard on the defensive side of the ball for the 2019 class (all the more impressive considering most of it took place without a defensive coordinator in place). David Ugwoegbu could be the type of outside rusher the Sooners have been missing since the graduation of Ogbonnia Okoronkwo two years ago.
From Katy Seven Lakes High School (Texas), he played his high school ball right down the road from Rodney Anderson and continued a recent trend of recruiting success for the Sooners in the Houston area. He chose Oklahoma football over the likes of Alabama, Texas A&M, Florida and Texas.
What he brings to the table
Watching his film, David Ugwoegbu is as quick in his first two steps off the ball as any pass rusher the Sooners have had since Okoronkwo went to the NFL. Against high-end competition in the greater Houston area, Ugwoegbu often looked like the most disruptive athlete on the field.
It’s not just getting off the ball that made him stand out though. Ugwoegbu is the type of player who never gives up on a play. Whether he’s trailing on the backside of a run or chasing a receiver downfield, this 6-foot-3, 225-pound linebacker is always pursuing the ball, something that new defensive coordinator Alex Grinch highly covets.
As good as his tape looks, you can see a there’s still some rawness that will have to be worked out at the next level. He was often able to use his superior athleticism to make up for it in high school, but that gap will be a lot closer when going up against fellow Power Five caliber athletes.
One could also see situations where Ugwoegbu’s high motor could get him in trouble at the next level on reverses and misdirection plays (another thing that can always be cleaned up by coaching, of course).
Where he fits in
Make no mistake, David Ugwoegbu has the kind of talent that could make him an x-factor as a true freshman for the Sooners, though he would have to make some big strides to become an every-down starter.
In certain situations – say a third-and-long or two-minute drill – I could see David Ugwoegbu finding the field and creating some problems (especially against teams that haven’t yet scouted him). This is especially true if there are any lingering health concerns for Jalen Redmond entering next year.
Perhaps even more interesting about David Ugwoegbu is his potential long-term future at Oklahoma. At 6-foot-3, one could easily see him adding 20-30 pounds of lean muscle and moving around in the defense in the future.
Alex Grinch’s “rush end” position is a hybrid defensive lineman-linebacker who often plays with his hand on the ground. With a proper diet and exercise program Ugwoebu (and of course coaching) could very well become a monster at such a position.
About this series
We are taking a look at every Oklahoma football summer enrollee from the 2019 class. In this series we will examine each player’s high school/junior college achievements, what they bring to the table for the Sooners and where they fit in to the big picture in the 2019 season.
Previous spotlighted players include:
Rhamondre Stevenson – Running back
Ty DeArman – Safety
EJ Ndoma-Ogar – Offensive guard
Kori Roberson – Defensive lineman