Draft Prospect: Ezekiel Ansah

the more I look the more I see him being a potential consideration at #15. Think Jimmy Graham like rawness/potential but at DE. The comparisons to NYG JPP could be justified.


Some various scouting reports comments-

Ansah is originally from Ghana and had never played football in his life prior to 2010. Naturally this means he is a project and will need time to be groomed. Luckily for him, his physical tools are so obvious that he may start in his first game as a rookie.

Versatile athlete that can play all over the field with a knack for pass-rushing. Violent short burst, sharp change of direction, flexible in bending the corner. Good strength, but lacks a thick base given his long frame.

Not a great run defender since he can be pushed back. May begin his career as a pass-rush specialist only. His long arms can initiate contact and hold ground. Lack of lower half power can be driven off the ball.

Ansah is a natural athlete that brings an outstanding effort and rarely seen, almost unheard of high ceiling to the table. Could fly up draft boards after the combine or could fall slightly if teams have serious concerns about his play against the run. He projects as a first round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.


Ansah is the hottest name on the draft market right now with people saying he’s going anywhere from the Top 5 to the Top 50. Ansah’s game stock is based mostly on potential and there is a lot of it. He’s a far better prospect than either Barkevious Mingo or Jarvis Jones, to me. He’s got a ceiling that no other prospect can touch in this DE class but that’s the key, this is all based on what he can be, not necessarily on what he is.

Ansah has only been playing football for three years and the growth he has shown as been remarkable. His basketball background has certainly paid dividends on the football field with his athleticism and length. However he’s still learning a lot about the game, and the next step in that will be learning more about the X’s and O’s and improving his awareness and football IQ.

There is little doubt in my mind that Ansah will be a successful defensive player in the NFL, I’m not sure what position that will be at just yet, but I don’t consider that to be a bad thing. This kid is so athletic and so good he could be successful at a myriad of positions. For the time being we’re going to leave him as a DE. He’s without a doubt going to be our top rated senior DE when the next position update comes and we’re really excited to see what he does in Mobile.


Ziggy Ansah will enter the draft with as much fanfare and differing opinions as any prospect. The hulking Ghanaian has only three seasons of football under his belt. He initially came to BYU with intentions of contributing to the track team. He then tried out for the basketball team, before finally finding his place on Bronco Mendenhall’s squad. Ansah tallied 4.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and 9 batted passes as a senior. His defining trait is his raw power. The scary part is that he hardly seems to know how to use it. Ansah is the definition of a raw prospect, a defender who goes out each and every play can just reacts to what he sees and flies to the football. Even then, he flashes schematic understanding and gap discipline on less complicated offensive plays. He displayed the kind of schematic versatility that will endear him to all onlookers. He was utilized all over the defensive line, from a nose tackle to an edge rusher in two point stance. His skills best translate to a 5 technique in a 3-4 scheme, where he can play a J.J. Watt-type role. Because he has such a clean slate, he can legitimately translate to a 4-3 end spot with some pass rush development. Whichever team pulls the trigger will need to be patient and wait for him to develop his technique and recognition skills. If it comes as quickly in the league as it has for him at BYU, he will become a dominant force on the defensive line. The sky is truly the limit.


--definitely will be watched closely as he lines up against top notch o linemen in Mobile