The Chicago Bears did not do enough to help their defensive line in free agency and will look to the NFL draft to fill these holes. Does that mean that they should have an interest in Texas defensive lineman Moro Ojomo? What does he bring to the NFL, and when should the Bears consider drafting him?
Chicago Bears Draft Profile: Texas DL Moro Ojomo
Moro Ojomo has been a key part of the Texas defense since he was a redshirt freshman in 2019. He has moved up and down the line and in and out of the starting lineup, but he wound up playing 1,594 snaps for the Longhorns over four years.
Ojomo played 759 snaps on the outside as a defensive end, and 832 snaps inside as a defensive tackle. Ojomo attended the Shrine Bowl and also worked out at the NFL combine. Below you can see his athletic performance.
He definitely fills in some space. He is shorter and leaner than you would expect from an interior lineman but has near-elite arm length. He also has impressive athletic traits that present the possibility for more upside.
How Texas DL Moro Ojomo translates to the NFL
The big question with him will be whether or not he is a tweener. In 2020, most of his snaps were on the edge, but he has slowly transitioned to being more of a full-time interior lineman. He may be a specific fit as a five-technique for 3-4 teams.
Moro Ojomo is not the bendiest athlete, and his speed around tackles as a pass rusher lacks. He also may be a bit too small, and get pushed around against bigger linemen in the NFL. In a perfect situation, he would be setting the edge on the outside for the early downs, then sliding inside on the passing downs, where he stands a better chance of winning with power.
Ojomo is a better run defender than a pass rusher, but in both areas, he wins with violent hands that can translate to the NFL. Those can flash with his top-tier arm length. This allows him to get some push as a pass rusher and keep linemen off balance. If some team in the NFL can use that base to build off of his skill set there could be untapped potential as a pass rusher in the NFL.
NFL Comparison for Moro Ojomo
The best NFL comparison for Texas DL Moro Ojomo would be Mike Neal, formerly of the Green Bay Packers. Below you can see how the two compare physically.
They both were in a similar spot as tweeners. Neal wound up spending a large portion of his career on the edge, although he did slide inside at times. He had a productive career, but it may have been better if he came out now, because of the scheme changes, and the NFL getting smaller and faster.
It does show that Ojomo has a floor as a run-defending edge. If he can develop some pass rush on the inside, he could become a relied-on player for every down.
Should Chicago Bears Draft Moro Ojomo?
The Chicago Bears signed DeMarcus Walker, who may have a similar profile to Moro Ojomo. He is less athletic, but he is essentially a bigger edge rusher, who lacks bend, but can slide inside and get push. Considering Walker is a player they like, they should be adding someone with a similar profile, but younger and more athletic. That would mean that the interest in Moro Ojomo should be real.
His upside as a pass rusher is untapped, but he can defend the run with his violent hands and understanding of angles right away. We know that the Chicago Bears need run defenders in the worst way, and we know that Matt Eberflus loves a guy who will hustle and play up and down the line.
This makes Moro Ojomo a fit. The next question wil be when he gets drafted? His range probably varies from round three through round five. Should the Chicago Bears add some depth to the defensive line