Caden Curry DE/EDGE Ohio State |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #92 SUB-POSITION: EDGE RUSHER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/27/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.78 seconds (61%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 23.2 DOB: 05/24/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #92 | |
| SUB-POSITION: EDGE RUSHER | |
| Last Updated: 02/27/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 4.78 seconds (61%*) | |
| Age: 23.2 DOB: 05/24/2003 | |
| Overall Rating: | 83.4 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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84% |
| Pass Rush: |
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92% |
| Run Defense: |
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91% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
4th
Overall Rank:
#131
Position rank:
#25 (DL)
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| College Games: 49 College Snaps: 1073 | ||
ESPN RATING: 82/100
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247 RATING: 94/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.9 (97%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Josh Paschal - Kentucky |
|
89% |
| Felix Anudike-Uzomah - Kansas State |
|
85% |
| Donovan Ezeiruaku - Boston College |
|
79% |
Drafted: ROUND: 6 - Pick Number: 214 (IND)
Draft Profile: Bio
Caden Curry arrived at Ohio State in January 2022 as one of the most decorated defensive linemen in Indiana high school history. The Greenwood native terrorized opponents at Center Grove, where he piled up nearly 300 career tackles, 83.5 tackles for loss, and 28 sacks while leading the Trojans to back-to-back Class 6A state championships and a remarkable 28-0 record over his final two prep seasons. As a senior in 2021, Curry recorded 65 tackles with 24 TFLs and seven sacks, earning Indiana's Mr. Football award for defensive linemen. He chose the Buckeyes over Alabama and Indiana, signing his National Letter of Intent in December 2021 as a consensus four-star recruit who earned an 82 rating from ESPN, a 0.94 grade from 247Sports, and a 5.9 grade from Rivals, ranking him among the top 100 prospects nationally and the No. 3 player in his home state.Curry contributed immediately upon arriving in Columbus, appearing in all 49 games across his four-year career while developing his craft under legendary defensive line coach Larry Johnson. He logged 14 tackles and 1.5 TFLs as a true freshman in 2022, followed by nine tackles and 3.5 TFLs in 2023. Beyond his defensive responsibilities, Curry distinguished himself as a rare defensive lineman willing to contribute on special teams, accumulating 287 special teams snaps over two seasons while handling punt, kickoff, and return unit duties. Standing 6-3 and 260 pounds, Curry's frame profiles as undersized for the position, but his junior season saw him post 22 tackles with 3.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks, setting the stage for a breakout senior campaign.
Everything clicked for Curry in 2025 under new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. He exploded onto the national scene with 53 total tackles (32 solo), 13.5 tackles for loss, and nine sacks, earning First Team All-Big Ten honors from the media. His signature performance came against Washington when he recorded 11 tackles, a program record-tying five TFLs, and three sacks, earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week recognition. Curry also forced a fumble and recovered two more while accumulating over 1,000 snaps during his college career. His strip-sack and recovery against Rutgers on Senior Day, setting up a short touchdown, capped a dominant final season that helped Ohio State rank first nationally in total defense (203 yards per game) and scoring defense (7.8 points per game).
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Gets off the ball like his hair is on fire, consistently winning the snap count battle with a first step that puts offensive linemen on their heels from the jump.
- Pass rush ability is legitimately elite, showing the combination of burst, timing, and counter moves to generate consistent pressure against quality tackles.
- Run defense matches his pass rushing prowess, demonstrating the discipline and physicality to set edges and collapse running lanes from multiple alignments.
- Hands are violent and active throughout his rush, showing advanced technique in hand-fighting that allows him to stack and shed blocks with purpose.
- Motor never quits on any snap, whether it's chasing down a screen pass 15 yards downfield or fighting through a double team on a run play away from his gap.
- Possesses legitimate versatility to line up at end in odd fronts or kick inside to tackle in even schemes, giving coordinators multiple alignment options.
- Production against top competition speaks for itself, with his five-TFL, three-sack game against Washington showcasing his ability to dominate quality tackles.
- Spin move is a legitimate counter weapon that he times well when his initial rush gets stonewalled, showing feel for when to deploy secondary moves.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Undersized frame at 6-3, 260 pounds for 4-3 DE, raising durability concerns against NFL power schemes.
- Needs to add functional strength in his lower half to consistently hold ground at the point of attack against NFL-caliber run blockers who outweigh him significantly.
- Does not possess the elite bend and ankle flexibility to consistently flatten around the corner as a pure speed rusher at the next level.
- Compact build limits his projection as an every-down player against power running schemes where he'll face 330-pound guards in the A-gap.
- Pass rush plan can become one-dimensional late in games when his initial burst and counter moves fail to generate pressure against tackles who adjust.
Scouting Report: Summary
Curry's relentless motor and ability to wreak havoc in the backfield translate directly to the professional level, and his performance grades back up what your eyes tell you. His pass rushing and run defense skills both grade out at elite levels, a rare combination for a player his size. The 13.5 TFLs and nine sacks against Big Ten competition prove he can win at the line of scrimmage, but the way he wins matters for projecting his NFL role. He's not going to run by tackles with elite bend or overpower them with brute strength. Instead, he wins with effort, timing, and technique, a combination that profiles as a quality starter who can contribute immediately while developing into a more complete player.Scheme fit becomes critical for Curry's success at the next level. He fits naturally in a 3-4 defense where he can operate as a 5-technique end with two-gap responsibilities, using his motor and hand technique to control his gap before pursuing. Equally intriguing is his potential as an interior rusher on passing downs, where his quickness and spin move could exploit slower guards. Has adequate straight-line speed for the position, but plays faster than his timed numbers suggest. The versatility to align in multiple spots and contribute across all three downs gives him real value, though asking him to be a primary edge rusher in a 4-3 scheme feels like a stretch given his physical limitations around the corner.
Here's the deal with Curry: you know exactly what you're getting. His floor is a quality starter with the technique and motor to produce from Day 1. His ceiling depends on how much strength he can add without sacrificing the quickness that makes him disruptive. The production, the motor, the technique, the winning pedigree from high school through college, it all adds up to a player who will carve out a significant NFL career. His elite grades in both pass rushing and run defense suggest he's not just a high-effort player, but a genuinely skilled one whose tape matches the analytics. Teams seeking a complete defensive lineman who can set the edge, rush the passer, and do all the dirty work in between will find a player ready to contribute at a high level.
Caden Curry percentiles vs other Defensive Ends (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Caden Curry (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
159.8
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
45.0
*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.