NFL Combine 2019 Preview: USC OT Chuma Edoga looking to rise further

USC offensive tackle Chuma Edoga has already raised his draft stock considerably since his senior season ended. The 2019 NFL Combine is another chance to climb.

USC football’s Chuma Edoga has been one of the more intriguing NFL draft prospects on the board since the 2018 season ended.

Though his Trojan career never reached the heights hoped for when he was a five-star recruit in 2015, Edoga is in the process of improving his stock with a trip to the 2019 NFL Combine.

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Edoga will jump into the action in Indianapolis with the other offensive linemen on Friday, March 1, hoping to set himself apart.

USC resume

Edoga started 26 times at USC and appeared in 44 games total. He was voted to the All-Pac-12 second team as a senior in 2019 despite missing the final two games of the season with a knee sprain.

Arriving at USC with recruiting fanfare, Edoga was used in the rotation as a true freshman, but his rise to a starting role took longer than expected. He started the first two games of the season as a sophomore but remained a backup until his junior season in 2017.

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Though clearly talented, nagging injuries and inconsistency seemed to limit Edoga’s ceiling.

Scouting report and draft stock

Given the sparks of ability he has shown since high school, it was clear Edoga would have a chance at being drafted in 2019. However, it didn’t seem as though returning for the 2019 had helped his draft stock all that much. A good, but not great campaign reinforced the idea he might be a late-round selection.

As it turns out, the Senior Bowl did far more for Edoga than his senior season. The Trojan tackle was one of the stars of the showcase, earning Player of the Week honors for his bright showings in practice. Concerns over his size as a tackle, at 6-foot-3, were assuaged by the length of his wingspan and his ability to use those arms to corral defensive ends in pass protection.

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In the span of that week in January, Edoga has gone from fringe draft prospect to solid middle-round potential.

Combine expectations

Given his showing at the Senior Bowl, Edoga may still have room to climb ahead of the draft. With even more eyes on him in Indianapolis, he will have the opportunity to show scouts that his raw ability is worth a chance.

Measurements are measurements and they are not going to change between the Senior Bowl and the Combine, but on-field drills could go a long way to improve his stock. One-on-one drills will be key to showing scouts that Edoga can hold up at tackle.