Why Joseph Ossai Will Be The Cincinnati Bengals Breakout Star In 2022
In 2021 The Cincinnati Bengals selected Joseph Ossai out of the University of Texas in the 3rd round. Ossai instantly impressed the team in Training Camp and Pre-season. However, he never appeared in a regular-season game due to a season-ending injury.
His Short 2021 Training Camp With Bengals
Joseph Ossai has an extremely high motor and showed that in pre-season when he made a quick move and got past one of the best linemen in the league, Tristan Wirfs, to get to Tom Brady and record technically his first actual sack. Ossai will bring a speedy pass rusher to the table for the Cincinnati Bengals this year along the EDGE. He will likely split snaps among other guys like Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, Khalid Kareem, and Cameron Sample. Still, there is no doubt in my mind that Ossai will impress once again and become a serious impactful player for the Cincinnati defense.
Ossai’s Success At The College Level
At Texas, Ossai was listed as a linebacker, and he will also play a little bit like that with the Bengals. His speed and agility allows him to the lineup in many different spots and remain effective.
In college, he was very successful. In 3 seasons with the Longhorns, he recorded 165 tackles, 11.5 sacks, two interceptions, three pass deflections, and 30 tackles for loss. He has a very bright personality and has grown on many Bengals fans without even playing a snap yet. The expectations for a 3rd round pick who got injured his rookie season usually isn’t as high as they are for Ossai but being one of the guys who came in and honestly looked the part and seemed like he fit in seamlessly with the team will give you those visions and that optimism.
Most defensive stops in a season for a Big 12 Edge Rusher since 2014 💪 Felix Anudike-Uzomah (’21): 36 💪 Joseph Ossai (’20): 36 pic.twitter.com/51KWpR8Rly — PFF College (@PFF_College) June 12, 2022
It also gives the Bengals a player that many in the division and around the league don’t know about whatsoever. People don’t realize what this kid can bring to the table for a defense that already had a stout pass rush. Not to mention the depth it adds to the front seven. The Bengals hope he is a diamond in the rough and a hidden gem that will come out of nowhere and set the scene, which is the anticipation surrounding him.
The good news for Joseph Ossai is that he has made a full recovery, and Zac Taylor said Tuesday that he, along with others, is fully expected to be good to go for camp.
Taylor confirms Joseph Ossai, Tee Higgins, Logan Wilson and Alex Cappa should be good for #Bengals camp. — Mike Petraglia (@Trags) June 14, 2022
The Cincinnati front is loaded with pass rushers, which is exactly what defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo wants from his front seven. The defense last season rarely, if ever, blitzed. Instead, they relied on the defensive line disrupting within their one-on-one matchups, and it worked more often than not. Having three players (Hendrickson 14.0, Hill 5.5, Hubbard 7.5) who ended up with 5.0 sacks or more was vital to the Cincinnati Bengals’ success. Adding a pass rusher like Joseph Ossai to the mix of Trey Hendrickson, B.J. Hill, Sam Hubbard, and one of the best interior defensive linemen in D.J. Reader could make this one of the deepest and most talented fronts in the NFL.
Ossai still has everything to prove. This will, in a sense, be his first NFL season, and he still has to create a name for himself outside of just Cincinnati. There is a lot of hype surrounding him, and he has the supporters to match that energy. It’s about proving his coaches, teammates, and the Cincinnati fanbase right. The talent, hard-working mentality and passion are all there. Now he needs to translate all of that to the football and make an impact to chip in and help the Bengals generate success.
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