Dayo Odeyingbo (Vanderbilt)
Measurements:
Height: 6-foot-6 | Weight: 276 pounds
2020 Stats:
- 32 tackles (8 for a loss)
- 5.5 sacks
The Vikings like big, lanky defensive ends and Dayo Odeyingbo definitely fits that mold. He’s 6-foot-6 with tentacle-like arms that he uses to envelop opposing quarterbacks and ball carriers. He’s got impressive overall power and he is a top-shelf athlete with an endless motor.
Odeyingbo was a well-rounded edge defender in his career at Vanderbilt. He tallied 122 career tackles, 26.5 tackles for a loss, and eight sacks.
The sacks do seem a little on the underwhelming side, but the positive takeaway was that he had 5.5 his senior season in just eight games. So clearly, he improved and peaked as he learned the nuances of the position.
There is one glaring concern other than the lack of overall sack production when it comes to Odeyingbo and that is the fact that he ruptured his Achilles this past January. This will put his availability for the early portion of the 2021 season in doubt and it will definitely have a negative impact on where he goes in the draft.
The Vikings medical staff will not only have to gauge where Odeyingbo is in his recovery, but they will also need to estimate the long-term impact the injury could have on his future play.
Talent-wise, this is a player who should come off the board in the third or fourth round. But that injury could push him well into the draft’s third day.