What to Know: Kansas State edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah visits Packers
By Paul Bretl
Kansas State edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah posted on his Instagram page that he is at Lambeau Field on a pre-draft visit with the Green Bay Packers. Each NFL team can have 30 official prospect visits as part of the pre-draft process.
Anudike-Uzomah stands 6’3″ and has that bigger frame that the Packers covet at edge rusher, weighing 255 pounds. He recorded a Relative Athletic Score of 8.74–although for what it’s worth, he does have shorter arms and a lesser vertical than the other three edge rushers GM Brian Gutekunst has drafted.
Most of his career snaps came in the last two seasons, and most were in the traditional edge rusher role. Anudike-Uzomah does, however, have 300 snaps lined up inside the tackle box, and we’ve seen the Packers use other edge rushers, specifically Rashan Gary and Za’Darius Smith recently, as interior pass rushers.
During this two-year span, Anudike-Uzomah recorded 82 pressures, 20 sacks, and 66 stops–or plays that result in a “loss” for the offense. In 2021 specifically, he ranked ninth in pass-rush productivity – an efficiency metric from PFF – and, for the most part, has graded out decently against the run.
This is an edge rusher class with a lot of talent. Anudike-Uzomah is PFF’s seventh-ranked edge rusher and the 32nd-best prospect in this draft. Now, for an added look at his game, here is what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had to say:
"“A hard-charging edge prospect, Anudike-Uzomah has good strength and a long frame that should continue to fill out. His run defense is unrefined and in need of better fundamentals, but he’s clearly gone to school on his pass-rush approach, adding several new wrinkles to his attack in 2022. His urgency leads to playmaking opportunities, but he will need to harness that energy and play with better control to become a more efficient defender. There is more polish needed, but Anudike-Uzomah’s NFL rush potential should eventually make him an NFL starter.“"
Edge rusher was a need for the Packers a year ago and still remains one. Without Rashan Gary in the mix, this group struggled to generate consistent pressure on the quarterback and, as a whole, did not contain the run well. Overall, the Packers ranked 23rd in pressure rate last season.
Getting Gary back will obviously help, and hopefully, we see Kingsley Enagbare take a step forward in Year 2, along with Justin Hollins being able to leave his mark over the course of an entire season. But nonetheless, this is a heavily rotated position where depth is crucial, and those third, fourth, and fifth edge rusher roles can be upgraded.
As we evaluate what the Packers’ biggest needs are, edge rusher may not be at the very top of the list, but it’s one of the most important positions in football with room for improvement, and this is a loaded draft class. The recipe for an early-round edge rusher selection is certainly there.