He waited longer than expected, but Owamagbe Odighizuwa became the second UCLA player taken in the 2015 NFL draft.
The New York Giants drafted the Bruins’ defensive end in the third round, making him the 74th overall selection this year. Twenty-nine picks earlier, college teammate Eric Kendricks went to the Minnesota Vikings in the second round.
The 6-foot-3, 267-pound Odighizuwa was one of the standouts at the NFL Combine in February, but the hip surgeries that sidelined him for the 2013 season gave some teams pause. Still, he said after UCLA’s Pro Day last month that he was expecting to be taken in the late first or early second round.
New York football Giants! I promise to give you everything I have from the day I step foot in the state of NY.
— owamagbe (@LPJ_Odighizuwa) May 2, 2015
“The Giants are trying to get guys that can play inside and outside,” said ESPN analyst Todd McShay. “I think that’s exactly what they get in Odighizuwa.
“He’s a left defensive end fit, but he can reduce on passing downs and rush the quarterback from inside, that three technique. He’s got great length, he runs very fast in a straight line, and has long arms — a lot of pass breakups throughout his career.”