Ethan Downs DE/EDGE Oklahoma | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Ethan Downs DE/EDGE Oklahoma
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| SUB-POSITION: VERSATILE DL | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/20/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.69 seconds (81%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 22.5 DOB: 10/13/2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SUB-POSITION: VERSATILE DL | |
| Last Updated: 03/20/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.69 seconds (81%*) | |
| Age: 22.5 DOB: 10/13/2002 | |
|
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
|
| Overall Rating: | 75.2 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
|
81% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
|
68% |
| Pass Rush: |
|
73% |
| Run Defense: |
|
78% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#284
Position rank:
#59
|
||
| College Games: 50 College Snaps: 1781 | ||
ESPN RATING: 83/100
College Combine Results
|
||
|
247 RATING: 94/100
|
||
RIVALS RATING: 5.7 (93%)
|
||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Brennan Jackson - Washington State |
|
96% |
| Daelin Hayes - Notre Dame |
|
88% |
| Braiden McGregor - Michigan |
|
87% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Downs made his mark out of small-town Oklahoma as a versatile athlete who dominated at Weatherford High, putting up 238 career tackles and 18 sacks while moonlighting as an offensive weapon with over 1,000 receiving yards and 1,250 rushing yards. The former state champion shot-putter chose to stay home with the Sooners, turning down offers from blue-bloods like LSU, Penn State, and Texas. His trajectory through Oklahoma has been steady if unspectacular - from a special teams contributor as a freshman to a second-team All-Big 12 selection in both his sophomore and junior campaigns.The two-time Bob Kalsu Award recipient has been a model of consistency and durability, appearing in all 50 possible games during his collegiate career while starting 37 over his final three seasons. His production took a significant leap in 2022 when he led the team with 13.5 tackles for loss (4.5 sacks), demonstrating his knack for penetrating the backfield. While his senior year numbers dipped slightly, Downs still managed to rack up 8.0 TFLs and 3.0 sacks in 11 games while cementing his reputation as one of the toughest edge-setters in the Big 12 conference.
Downs' off-field impact has been equally noteworthy, earning recognition on the 2023 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team for his community service. His well-rounded skill set has made him a reliable three-down defender, though his ceiling as a pass rusher has been somewhat limited by physical constraints. Still, the Oklahoma native finishes his college career with respectable numbers (106 tackles, 31.0 TFLs, 12.5 sacks) and the reputation as a high-motor player who maximizes his abilities through relentless effort and technique.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Plays with exceptional leverage and pad level, allowing him to anchor against larger offensive tackles despite average length measurements for the position.
- Nasty point-of-attack striker whose violent hands and excellent timing create pop on contact that resonates through the film room speakers.
- Processes run schemes with veteran savvy, quickly identifying reach blocks and setting a hard edge that forces backs to cut back into pursuit.
- Shows some dog when defending against the run, refusing to stay blocked and fighting through trash with tenacity that jumps off the tape.
- Converts speed to power effectively, driving his legs through contact to collapse the pocket when bull-rushing interior offensive linemen.
- Technically refined hand usage with multiple rush moves (club-rip, long arm, spin) that he deploys with proper timing against different opponents.
- Motor runs absolutely scorching hot - plays through the whistle with maniacal pursuit and regularly makes tackles 15+ yards downfield on hustle plays.
- Disciplined edge defender who maintains assignment integrity and rarely gets suckered on misdirection or read-option plays designed to exploit overaggression.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Lacks the explosive first step and bend to consistently threaten the corner against NFL-caliber tackles, limiting his ceiling as a pure speed rusher.
- Shorter arm length creates issues when attempting to disengage from longer offensive tackles who can lock him out before he establishes leverage.
- Rush plan can stall out when initial move is countered, struggling to string together secondary countermoves when his first attack is stymied.
- Gets swallowed up against double teams, lacking the anchor strength to split the gap or the lateral quickness to avoid being washed down the line.
- Shows inconsistent get-off timing that undermines his already average burst, occasionally being the last defender moving at the snap.
Scouting Report: Summary
Ethan Downs has Day 3 value as a high-floor run defender who brings immediate special teams impact and developmental upside as a rotational edge setter. His standout run defense (significantly better than his pass rush metrics) makes him an ideal fit for teams needing a disciplined strongside defender who won't compromise containment. The tape shows a player whose technical refinement and power at the point of attack compensate for his middling athletic traits and pass rush limitations.Teams with multiple-front defenses will covet Downs' versatility. The Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, and Miami Dolphins stand out as potential fits where his blue-collar approach and run-stopping prowess could earn him a defined role. His exceptional motor and physicality project well to special teams units while he develops a more nuanced pass rush plan. Don't be fooled by his mid-260s ranking – his performance against the run indicates a player with staying power in the league despite limitations as a pure pass rusher.
The bottom line: Downs won't be the flashy edge defender that sells jerseys or racks up double-digit sacks, but he'll be the reliable force that defensive coordinators trust on early downs and in short-yardage situations. His football character, positional versatility, and run-defense acumen suggest a 6-8 year career as a valuable rotational player who outperforms his draft position by doing the thankless work that winning defenses require.
Ethan Downs percentiles vs other Defensive Ends (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Ethan Downs (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
270.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
65.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.