10-10-2019, 05:00 PM
The promising New York Giants rookie quarterback made a number of good throws in Sunday’s 28-10 loss but was bombarded with pressure in a 182-yard performance in which he averaged just 4.9 yards per attempt. Of course Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen did a lot of the damage but project defensive Ifeadi Odenigo also picked up his first career sack, highlighting his impressive growth.
“He worked really, extremely hard in the offseason and I remember toward the end of last season when he was on the scout team, he was making those guys on the other side of the ball work really, really hard,” head coach Mike Zimmer said on Wednesday. “He worked real hard in the offseason, kept getting stronger and more athletic. He came in here with a purpose of he was going to make this team and try to help us win. He’s done a nice job.”
Odenigbo was picked by the Vikings in the seventh round of the 2017 draft out of Northwestern, where he had 10 sacks in his final college season. With a deep defensive line in place, he spent the ’17 season on the practice squad. In ’18 the Vikings moved him inside to defensive tackle, where he showed flashes of progress but was cut again.
Looking for project players, Cleveland picked up Odenigbo but cut him 20 days later. Arizona then signed him only to release the 6-foot-3 D-lineman in 30 days. At that point the Vikings brought him back on the practice squad.
With the Vikings against the cap, they had to let Sheldon Richardson exit in free agency and didn’t have the space to sign a veteran edge rusher or interior player aside from Shamar Stephen, so the team’s depth up front was entirely reliant on development. Early in camp, Odenigbo showed that he had come a long way.
“I think he’s really improved a lot as far as understanding the concepts that he has to do it at defensive end,” Zimmer said in late August. “He’s a power player, really good physicality.”
Sunday’s game marked a career high in snaps for Odenigbo with 27. In total he’s rushed the passer 60 times in ’19 and created six pressures (per Pro Football Focus) and produced PFF grades above 65 in every game except the opener against Atlanta. His 83.0 (out of 100) against the Giants was the highest mark
https://www.skornorth.com/vikings-2/2019...n-defense/
“He worked really, extremely hard in the offseason and I remember toward the end of last season when he was on the scout team, he was making those guys on the other side of the ball work really, really hard,” head coach Mike Zimmer said on Wednesday. “He worked real hard in the offseason, kept getting stronger and more athletic. He came in here with a purpose of he was going to make this team and try to help us win. He’s done a nice job.”
Odenigbo was picked by the Vikings in the seventh round of the 2017 draft out of Northwestern, where he had 10 sacks in his final college season. With a deep defensive line in place, he spent the ’17 season on the practice squad. In ’18 the Vikings moved him inside to defensive tackle, where he showed flashes of progress but was cut again.
Looking for project players, Cleveland picked up Odenigbo but cut him 20 days later. Arizona then signed him only to release the 6-foot-3 D-lineman in 30 days. At that point the Vikings brought him back on the practice squad.
With the Vikings against the cap, they had to let Sheldon Richardson exit in free agency and didn’t have the space to sign a veteran edge rusher or interior player aside from Shamar Stephen, so the team’s depth up front was entirely reliant on development. Early in camp, Odenigbo showed that he had come a long way.
“I think he’s really improved a lot as far as understanding the concepts that he has to do it at defensive end,” Zimmer said in late August. “He’s a power player, really good physicality.”
Sunday’s game marked a career high in snaps for Odenigbo with 27. In total he’s rushed the passer 60 times in ’19 and created six pressures (per Pro Football Focus) and produced PFF grades above 65 in every game except the opener against Atlanta. His 83.0 (out of 100) against the Giants was the highest mark
https://www.skornorth.com/vikings-2/2019...n-defense/
