Arizona Cardinals: Senior Bowl Wrap-Up

Shawn Oakman – DE
Baylor – Redshirt Senior
6-8, 269 Pounds

Many fans remember the physique of Oakman (mostly as a meme), but don’t let that confuse you as a scout or coach. Shawn Oakman is a big boy, has a lot of physical tools, and could be the pass-rush that the Cardinals have been looking for, for years. Oakman is a tremendous talent, and many talent scouts questioned his football IQ as part of his inability to generate sacks during his senior year at Baylor. Another question was why did Shawn Oakman transfer to Baylor from Penn State? Were there issues with Oakman playing in the scheme that Penn State plays in, or did the players at Penn State fail to elevate Oakman to the next level? Many questions will be asked. We will see.

I find this false, not that he could escape his meme status either way, yet Oakman is exactly as advertised, and he showed it all through the Senior Bowl week of practice and during the game. Shawn Oakman had a tremendous game, he really showed his strength when playing against top tackle/guard prospects Spencer Drango, his teammate at Baylor and Le’Raven Clark who attended Texas Tech (as mentioned in my two down). I’m not saying he’s a complete player quite yet, but he is good enough that the Cardinals could possibly trade back for him.

Shawn Oakman is almost as big as Calais Campbell, a pro-bowl defensive end who makes life hard for opposing quarterbacks, and hasn’t really produced many sacks in his career. They are almost the same stature, if the Cardinals could get same kind of edge that Campbell produces, then the defense would be very deadly. Many credit the inability to rush the passer and control running lanes to the NFC Championship collapse, and this type of selection just solidifies the front line.

Oakman is literally becoming a benefactor of scheme diversity, and really, James Bettcher would love a kid with the type of motor that Oakman possesses, and he for sure would elevate the play of the overall defense. The Cardinals might not even have to grab Oakman with their 1st round selection, but Oakman could be in the mix for their second or third round selections. We have so many options for Oakman, and we (as fans) would be lucky to have him.

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