NFL-bound? TCU’s edge rushers ready to showcase skills at Senior Bowl
One has been described as a “long and slippery edge guy.” The other as a “flashy playmaker.”
Both are TCU products and both have NFL potential. Ben Banogu and L.J. Collier are among a number of players who will be looking to make their mark and boost their draft stock at the Reese’s Senior Bowl this week.
Banogu hopes to showcase his athletic ability in making a seamless transition from a stand-up edge rusher at TCU to an outside linebacker. Collier wants to improve upon the buzz he created during the season in his first full season as a starter.
“I’m excited to go against the best in the country, the best guys in college football,” Collier said last month at the Cheez-It Bowl. “It’s going to be a great experience. I’m ready to show my talent that I’m one of the best defensive linemen in the country.
“That’s what I plan to go there and prove. To show my stuff. I’m not scared. It’s going to be a good time.”
Collier finished his senior season with a career-high six sacks and 11 1/2 tackles for loss. He also had the most pass breakups (four) among defensive linemen.
His rise from a little known recruit out of Munday into a college starter and now an NFL talent is quite remarkable. Collier capped his college career in impressive fashion, registering two tackles for loss, including a sack, in TCU’s 10-7 overtime victory over Cal in the Cheez-It Bowl.
Collier is expected to be the highest-rated TCU player in this year’s NFL Draft.
The Athletic’s draft expert Dane Brugler wrote this about Collier, the 6-foot-4, 276-pound DE: “Collier is a good-sized athlete and stays balanced mid-rush, using his active hands to throw the kitchen sink at blockers. He is quick to read and pursue in the run game, using his long arms to fend off blocks.”
Banogu, meanwhile, is facing a different task with a position change. But it’s something he’s accustomed to.
Banogu joked that he played a little bit of everything at Prosper High School, including quarterback until someone named Davis Webb came along. His first full season as a defensive end came his senior year in high school.
He’s shined in the defensive end role the past two seasons with TCU, registering 8 1/2 sacks in each season. He also ranked among the Big 12 leaders this past season with 18 tackles for loss.
Moving to linebacker is something Banogu is embracing going to the next level. He had enough versatility at TCU, dropping back into coverage at times, that it shouldn’t be much of a hurdle.
“Obviously linebacker and defensive end are two different spots, but as long as you have the willingness to learn and do what you need to do to execute, then I think you’ll be fine,” Banogu said. “I feel like I can still play in the game and do what I can do. Me, personally, I wouldn’t mind dropping into coverage and doing all of that as well as rushing the passer. It’s all the same to me. It’s all football.”
Collier and Banogu are entering this week with the right frame of mind. That’s something they had throughout TCU’s up-and-down season.
Coach Gary Patterson pointed to his two starting defensive ends as a reason why the Frogs were able to salvage what appeared to be a lost season and make a bowl game.
Not only does having a consistent pass rush help on the field, but those senior leaders made sure every player stayed engaged even when things weren’t going right.
Now, it’s on to impressing NFL executives and scouts. The mid-week practices are where Collier and Banogu will have a chance to separate themselves.
Dallas Cowboys right guard Zack Martin saw his stock rise when he had a good showing against standout defensive tackle Aaron Donald in the 2014 Senior Bowl.