Melkart Abou Jaoude DE/EDGE North Carolina |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #9 SUB-POSITION: VERSATILE DL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 10/07/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.75 seconds (69%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #9 | |
| SUB-POSITION: VERSATILE DL | |
| Last Updated: 10/07/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.75 seconds (69%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
81.8 / 100
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|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
|
70% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
|
74% |
| Pass Rush: |
|
79% |
| Run Defense: |
|
72% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#176
Position rank:
#28 (DL)
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| College Games: 40 College Snaps: 1460 | ||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ochaun Mathis - Nebraska |
|
94% |
| Braiden McGregor - Michigan |
|
93% |
| Kyle Kennard - South Carolina |
|
92% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Born in Lebanon, Melkart Abou Jaoude came to the United States at age 3 and grew into a two-way standout and state-qualifying wrestler at Newton High School in New Jersey. With only Division II and III offers, he caught a break when the owner of the bagel shop where he worked passed his highlight film to a former Delaware player, and he joined the Blue Hens as a walk-on.Abou Jaoude earned a scholarship in 2023 and paced Delaware in both sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (9.5) in 2024, his first season in the lineup. A move to North Carolina followed for 2025, where he became one of the ACC's most productive pass rushers, leading the league with 10.5 sacks, including three-sack games against Virginia and Stanford, and earning second-team All-ACC honors while playing more snaps than any other ACC defensive lineman.
A Senior Bowl Top 300 selection, he opened 2026 with a sack and a strip in the 15-10 win over TCU in Dublin before a hand injury cost him the next two games.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Pass rush is the strength: 42 pressures and an ACC-leading 10.5 sacks in 2025
- Hand fighting from his wrestling days lets him work through blockers rather than around them
- Workhorse who played more snaps than any ACC defensive lineman last season
- Finisher with three-sack games against Virginia and Stanford
- Disruptive in his 2026 opener, with a sack and a strip against TCU
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Run defense trails his rush, and down blocks can move him off his spot
- Injured his hand early this fall, limiting him to two games so far
- Wins with effort and hands more than burst, which may not carry over against NFL tackles
- Sack production arrived in bunches, with quiet weeks between his big games
Scouting Report: Summary
Few players in college football have a better origin story than Abou Jaoude, a Lebanese-born wrestler whose highlight tape reached Delaware by way of a bagel shop counter. He walked on, earned a scholarship and turned himself into the ACC's sack leader, and the qualities that got him there are obvious on tape: a nonstop motor, strong hands and the grappler's sense of leverage that lets him work through blockers rather than around them. He played more snaps than any defensive lineman in the league in 2025 and kept finishing late in games.However, he is not a twitchy rusher who will win with speed alone against NFL tackles, and his sacks tended to arrive in clusters, with three-sack games sandwiched between quieter outings. His run defense is a step behind his rush, as bigger tackles can move him on down blocks, and the hand injury that cost him two games this fall has interrupted his planned showcase season.
Overall, Abou Jaoude is a productive, tough-minded edge whose effort travels to any level. He projects as a sixth-round pick; the hope is a rotational rusher with a long special teams career, and his work ethic gives him a strong chance to outplay his draft slot.
How other scouting services rate Melkart Abou Jaoude (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
158.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
24.0
*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.