Ogbah goes to Browns; Giants select Shepard
Cleveland took former OSU standout Emmanuel Ogbah 32nd overall, while New York drafted former OU wideout Sterling Shepard with the 40th overall selection.
STILLWATER — Former Oklahoma State defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the No. 32 overall pick, the first of the second round, in the NFL Draft on Friday.
Ogbah, who moved to the U.S. from Nigeria at just 9 years old, is the third player in the Mike Gundy coaching era selected by the Browns — joining quarterback Brandon Weeden (2012) and defensive back Justin Gilbert (2014), who is currently on the roster.
As a redshirt junior last season, Ogbah was named co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and received All-American honors from Sporting News, USA Today and the Walter Camp Foundation. He reached 13 sacks, 17½ tackles for loss, 19 quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles.
“He’s got tremendous straight line speed, he’s got tremendous measurables,” ESPN analyst Louis Riddick said following Ogbah’s selection. “When his motor is running hot, this is a guy who you can see right there, can throw a viscous type of rip, turn the corner and put the quarterback on his back . ... The inconsistency is what really I struggled with, with this guy.”
Said ESPN analyst Todd McShay: “A defensive line coach is really going to make his money with Emmanuel Ogbah because he has all the tools in the world, and there is a lot of great clay to mold here. But he needs some molding.”
Ogbah was the fourth overall defensive end selected behind Ohio State’s Joey Bosa (1-3, San Diego), Oregon’s DeForest Buckner (1-7, San Francisco) and Clemson’s Shaq Lawson (1-19, Buffalo). However, it’s entirely possible Ogbah is featured at outside linebacker with the Browns — a move Ogbah said he was willing to make following OSU’s Pro Day.
“He’s a candidate to be a linebacker in a three-down scheme,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said on NFL Network. “He has that kind of versatility.”
Cleveland finished the 2015 season 3-13.