Coming out of (the troubled) Penn State Nittany Lions program Jared Odrick was seen as a 2nd round pick who could contribute at the NFL level to a 3-4 base defense. Well, the Miami Dolphins took him in the 1st round, and despite switching to the 4-3 base defense they still have big plans for big ol’ #98.
Odrick’s rookie season of 2010 was ended quickly by a foot injury. His 2011 was healthy (16 games, 7 starts), and he showed flashes of brilliance including six sacks and one interception. Five of his 6 sacks came in Dolphins victories, so we see the impact he can have. Odrick played well vs AFC East foes. He also played well at home. Some good things here to build on.
At 6’5″ 305 Odrick is a massive human being. Despite that size he does not have a lot of loose fat. He has always been a very good pass rusher. In scenarios where the ‘Phins are in pass-rush mode, Odrick is very good at pinning his ears and making a bull rush to disrupt the backfield/pocket.
Having him on the defensive line with stud nose tackles like Paul Soliai and Randy Starks should create opportunities for Odrick. He has the bull-rush down pat, but needs to improve his stunts so he can work in concert with the other d-lineman to wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines. He has a very good motor. His strong hands and long arms are used to gobble up ball carriers and drop them on the spot. Odrick is a good athlete who moves well for his size, and he is just getting his career going.
There are areas of improvement for Odrick. He can be out of control at the point of attack. He also struggles to stay home and shed blocks. At times he can get too upright thus putting his center of gravity in a dangerous/block-able position.
These are all things that can be addressed by improving technique. New head coach Joe Philbin, plus new defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle, are all about technique so we should see Odrick improve on their watch.
Undrafted rookie Derrick Shelby is climbing the depth chart fast, and is currently listed as Odrick’s top back-up. That puts some in-house heat on Odrick to take his game to the next level.
Coyle is on the verge of desperation as he tries to create a pass-rush for the 2012 Dolphins. In the 2 preseason games to date the pass-rush has been non-existent. Getting Jared Odrick to the next level will go a long way to help that.
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