Joseph

Ossai

Ossai (6'4/253) was one of the Longhorns’ standouts on the defensive side of the football this season, as in nine games he tallied 55 total tackles (16.0 for loss), 5.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, two quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. Due to his athleticism and ability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage, Ossai shouldn’t have to wait very long to hear his name called in this spring’s draft. Pro Football Network draft analyst Tony Pauline has given the edge rusher a second-round grade.

Ossai showed flashes of brilliance in his freshman year, picking up 20 tackles and a sack. As Daeschner notes, the Longhorns have produced a few quality options at linebacker over the past few years, and Ossai could be next. " But now with the departures of Gary Johnson and Anthony Wheeler -- Texas’ two leading tacklers in 2018 -- Ossai will have to take on a much larger role as a starter next season,” Daeschner writes. A former four-star recruit, this could be one of the better underclassman defenders in the Big 12.

Ossai (6'4/210) has already taken his official to Notre Dame and is intimately familiar with the Longhorns and Aggies, as the Confroe, Texas, native has visited those in-state programs a number of times. Rivals analyst Nick Krueger views the Aggies as the leader for his pledge at this juncture. The outlet ranks Ossai as the No. 20 weakside defensive end prospect in the 2018 class.

Ossai picks the Longhorns over finalist Texas A&M, and was also considering Notre Dame, Oregon, ALabama and many more upper-echelon schools. Scouting reports indicate that Ossai is a long defender (6'4/217) who can close on the football and flashes a quick first-step, but will need to improve his flexibility. He’s rated the 15th best defensive end in the country by ESPN.

Ossai (6'4/210) has been waffling back and forth between the Longhorns and Aggies all fall into the winter, but it looks like Texas has begun to gain a foothold. Per Holland, their push came when Texas A&M was forced to go through a somewhat elongated search for a defensive coordinator to work under HC Jimbo Fisher. Texas hit hard during this little window. Holland writes that the Longhorns are now in a “prime position” to land Ossai. On the 247Sports composite board, the defensive end slides in at No. 182 overall for the 2018 cycle.