On the surface, the Minnesota Vikings using the No. 165 overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft on Esezi Otomewo could be seen as merely a depth move, but there’s at least one scout within the organization that sees a potential difference-maker in the Minnesota prospect.
His college numbers don’t necessarily pop as impressive, but if you look beyond the statistics—if you look at the actual player himself—you might come away feeling a bit different about his potential role on the team.
According to the Pioneer Press’ Chris Tomasson, at least one Vikings scout sees the potential for Otomewo to be special.
“The beauty of it is we’ve seen the flashes on tape,” said Vikings assistant director of college scouting Pat Roberts. “… Our coaches think they’re going to help him grow.”
#Vikings assistant director of college scouting Pat Roberts on Esezi Otomewo: "The beauty of it is we've seen the flashes on tape. … Our coaches think they're going to help him grow."
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) April 30, 2022
Otomewo finished his college career with 30 tackles, 7.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for a loss.
He won’t have to worry about double teams with Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith in the lineup. There will always be an opportunity to make plays with two proven game-wreckers on the field.
Time will tell if Otomewo is a player capable of making those plays.
