Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Watch: EDGE Ejuan Price

Let’s stay local for a possible Steelers Draft target: University of Pittsburgh Edge Rusher Ejuan Price.

Sep 10, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive lineman Ejuan Price (L) causes Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley (9) to fumble during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

With James Harrison set to retire at the end of the 2016 season, the Steelers will need to look to replace his presence as a pass rushing threat. Luckily, another speedy and powerful edge rusher is training in their same practice facility with the University of Pittsburgh football team.

Let me introduce you to Pittsburgh’s Ejuan Price, who has drawn comparisons to the Baltimore Raven’s Elvis Dumervil. In our next “Draft Watch” article, I will detail why Ejuan Price could be a late round steal in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Dec 28, 2015; Annapolis, MD, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers defensive lineman Ejuan Price (5) tackles Navy Midshipmen quarterback Keenan Reynolds (19) during the second quarter at Navy-Marine Corps. Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

EDGE Ejuan Price, Pittsburgh

Catching the attention of NFL scouts after forcing two fumbles in Pittsburgh’s victory over arch-rival Penn State, Ejuan Price has absolutely exploded onto the scene. He is currently leading the nation with 8.5 sacks and has been a nightmare for opposing lineman.

He also has a knack for making big plays in big moments, including recording a safety on Pittsburgh’s first defensive snap against UNC and forcing three total fumbles in 6 games..

Strengths

Just by briefly watching Price you can see one thing that separates him from every other defensive player on the field: his non-stop motor and pursuit of the QB. Price is a relentless pass rusher who terrorizes his blocker with a combination of athleticism, power, and determination.

Once his initial rush is stalled Price seamlessly transitions to other moves and will change his plan of attack. He possesses a variety of moves to throw at his opponent, including a dominant spin move that allows him to disengage from blocks and bring down the quarterback.

Additionally, Price has an impressive first step and get-off. His explosion off the snap allows him to generate a significant amount of power in his rushes. This power is nicely complimented by his natural leverage as a shorter player (barely 6’0″ tall) as he is always the low man at the point of attack. His leverage and explosion fuel his effective bull rush as he can drive blockers back into the QB.

Price also has remarkable short area quickness that allows him to split gaps and evade blockers. His pass rush is twitchy in nature and he can put blockers on skates with his change-of-direction abilities. Price uses this short area quickness to his benefit on the edge, where he can beat blockers off the snap and turn the corner to the QB.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Weaknesses

While Price makes his impact as a high effort pass rusher who is known for making big plays, Price could stand to improve on several facets his game. For example, Price often loses gap responsibility in the run game. He is always gunning for the big play, and will often get too far outside trying to beat the blocker in front of him. This opens up enormous rushing lanes at times.

Price also will get too wide in his pass rush, creating running lanes for scrambling QBs. He needs to focus on maintaining a balanced rush while also preserving his aggressive nature. Overall, Price needs to learn to play under control and fulfill his defensive responsibilities while also letting his playmaking abilities shine.

Fit

In terms of his draft stock, Price will most likely last till the later rounds due to his atypical size and measurables. Price is shorter than your ideal EDGE rusher and has less than desired length.

However, Price’s effort and natural abilities allow him to make up for his lack of desired measurables. In my opinion Price is one of the more experienced and talented pass rushers in this class. Year in and year out teams pass on undersized EDGE rushers and make the same mistakes. Elvis Dumervil, Dwight Freeney, and the Steeler’s own James Harrison are a few names that come to mind.

I hope the Steelers take a chance on the local Pitt product, because I believe Ejuan Price is the next undersized pass rusher who will be making NFL teams regret their decisions for years to come.