Breaking down the film of Duke graduate transfer defensive end RJ Oben.
RJ Oben, a former pass rusher for Duke, made a significant commitment to Notre Dame on Monday. RJ, the son of veteran NFL offensive lineman Roman Oben, had contributed significantly to the Blue Devils’ success throughout the previous three seasons.
Some were startled when he decided to return to college for one more year this offseason rather than accept an invitation to the NFL or Reese’s Senior Bowl. Oben is a pass rusher who has significant potential for Notre Dame. Unlocking the higher upside is still to come.
dissecting Oben’s player value to Notre Dame.
Height/Weight: 6-4, 260
Hometown: Montclair, New Jersey; High School: St. Peters
Eligibility Remaining: 1 season
Oben will be a sixth-year player in 2024 having been a member of Duke’s 2019 class.
Career stats
Oben has been part of the Duke rotation for a few seasons, including starting the last three seasons. Here is a look at his production for the Blue Devils.
2023: 17 total tackles, 6.0 TFLs, 5.0 sacks, 1 pass breakup
2022: 20 total tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
2021: 25 total tackles, 7 TFLs, 5.0 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 interception, 1 pass breakup
2020: 4 total tackles, 0.5 TFLs
2019: 1 total tackle
Career Totals: 67 total tackles, 20 TFLs, 14.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups
Pass rush upside
In his time in college, Oben has mostly been used as a pass rusher. He offers an amazing combination of technical skills and subtlety to the role, and going forward, he will have even more unrealized influence in that area.
Oben possesses a wonderful combination of physical abilities. He has terrific bulk and core strength and a pretty attractive frame. Oben is also very athletic, which makes him appear to be a very slick pass rusher. It’s also rather long, with the ability to get within the outlines of opposing offensive linemen.
Oben may occasionally cause offensive linemen to overset with his strong first step. He also possesses an extensive toolkit for pass rush defence, which includes the cross chop, club rip, speed rush, and inside counter. His raw tools and that subtlety make him a real danger as a pass rusher.
Run game management
Oben is a very perplexing player when it comes to run defence. Possessing an excellent blend of stature, mass, and core strength, he has demonstrated the ability to perform well at the attacking point. Additionally, he has a sharp edge and maintains his composure really well.
Oben simply doesn’t play against the run with the same urgency, for whatever reason. It doesn’t appear to be due to insufficient effort. Simply said, he doesn’t use much aggression to get off blocks. Duke also appears to feature him more frequently due to his influence on pass rushes and frequent rotations.
Oben can obviously work with certain tools, which should make him a more valuable asset in the run game. It will be crucial for him to demonstrate progress in that area after his lengthy year at Notre Dame.
Adaptability
Oben was utilised in Duke’s defence from both a three- and four-point stance as well as occasionally as a standup rusher. He primarily played from wide formations, but on rare occasions he would drop back to make an inside rush.
In terms of use, Oben was extremely infrequently dropped into coverage. He is a much more effective edge defender going forward. Oben might be an odd front outside linebacker or an even front defensive end. To avoid having to drop as much in the latter role, Oben might be better served by being utilised to the weak side.
Notre Dame fit
Oben fits into the Notre Dame defence in a really interesting way. He may theoretically play the position of field end, which this season was filled by Javontae Jean-Baptiste. Oben will need to demonstrate in that capacity that he can make a tonne more plays in the run game and develop into a valuable edge-setter.
He may possibly be a good match as a Vyper, much like Isaiah Foskey was. Although he wouldn’t be as adaptable as a Vyper, his looseness, repertoire, and potential for pass rush would make him an interesting matchup opponent. Oben has the pass rush upside that the Irish need more of in 2024 at any position.
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