Justin Okoronkwo LB South Carolina |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #17 PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/02/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.63 seconds (73%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #17 | |
| PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | |
| Last Updated: 11/02/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.63 seconds (73%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
75.0 / 100
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|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
|
73% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
|
75% |
| Pass Rush: |
|
75% |
| Run Defense: |
|
75% |
| Coverage: |
|
75% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#403
Position rank:
#39 (LB)
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| College Games: 27 College Snaps: 1006 | ||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Francisco Mauigoa - Miami |
|
100% |
| Jackson Woodard - UNLV |
|
100% |
| Karson Sharar - Iowa |
|
98% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Justin Okoronkwo was born in Munich and grew up playing soccer and doing gymnastics before learning football on club teams in Germany. He became the top-ranked player from Germany and played in the All-American Bowl before signing with Alabama.Okoronkwo played in 13 games as a freshman at Alabama in 2024, then transferred to South Carolina in January 2025. He started eight games at weakside linebacker that season, tying for the team lead with 64 tackles and intercepting Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia. He missed the Ole Miss game with an injury and served as a game captain against Texas A&M.
Okoronkwo has started in 2026 and posted a career-high tackle total in the loss to Mississippi State on 19 September. He intercepted a pass in the 38-19 win at Florida on 10 October, and defensive coordinator Clayton White has compared his downhill style to former Gamecock Debo Williams.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Triggers downhill fast against the run, with six stops against Mississippi State
- Much-improved tackler, with three misses this season after 14 in 2025
- Intercepted a pass in the win at Florida
- Soccer and gymnastics background shows in his balance and body control
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Coverage is a weakness, allowing 20 catches on 23 targets
- Alabama gained 101 yards on the four passes it completed against him
- Undersized for an inside linebacker at about 220 pounds
- Missed the 2025 Ole Miss game with an injury
- Listed as a junior by some sources and a senior by others
Scouting Report: Summary
Okoronkwo is an instinctive, aggressive linebacker who has grown quickly for a player who learned the game in Germany. He reads runs fast and attacks downhill, his tackling has improved sharply this season, and his interception at Florida showed he can make plays in space.However, his coverage remains a problem. Quarterbacks have completed 20 of 23 passes against him, and Alabama hit him for 101 yards on four catches. He is also light for an inside linebacker.
Overall, Okoronkwo has the athletic background and run instincts to keep developing. He projects as a priority free agent who must improve in coverage to earn snaps.
How other scouting services rate Justin Okoronkwo (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
312.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
38.0
*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.