Why Penn State DE Jayson Oweh is already a ‘freak’ — and why he’s only getting started

Jayson Oweh’s feats of athleticism have already reached near-mythic proportions in Happy Valley.

The 256-pound Penn State defensive end reportedly runs a 4.33-second 40-yard dash — which, if he could match that in the NFL Combine, would make him the fastest front-seven NFL player in at least two decades. He earned the No. 6 spot on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List,” an annual honor bestowed to the most athletically gifted players in college football. And, despite limited time in five career games, he’s already recorded three sacks.

That’s not a bad list of accolades for a redshirt freshman who first took up the sport as a high school junior. So what is Oweh most proud of during his brief time at Penn State?

Well, nothing.

“I feel like I haven’t really done anything yet,” Oweh said after practice Wednesday night. “I feel like I’m just doing what God has given me. In order for me to be proud of something, I got to do something that I have worked on and I can show out to somebody.”

God has given Oweh more than most, when it comes to athleticism on a football field. His 10-foot-7 broad jump is better than the NFL Combine numbers of past first-round picks such as Jadeveon Clowney (10-4), Bradley Chubb (10-1) and Joey Bosa (10-0). And his 36.5-inch vertical jump would’ve put him in the 90th percentile at the 2019 Combine among those slotted at DE, DL, DT and EDGE.

Oweh’s testing numbers are as impressive as any player in any school in the nation. But, at Penn State, he remains a backup. He’s still learning the position, after all. He’s a raw prospect with the tools of an elite NFL player.

That’s why Penn State head coach James Franklin didn’t want to wade into player comparisons earlier this week. Oweh’s measurables give him the potential to become a generational defensive player — but, right now, he might be more athlete than football player.

But what an athlete he is.

The Centre Daily Times spoke to 12 players and coaches during fall camp, asking each to choose the player most likely to break out this season. No one received more mentions than Oweh’s five and in every interview, which were done separately, each of those five used the word “freak” to describe the redshirt freshman.

“He has freakish ability,” defensive tackle Robert Windsor said last month. “You’ll see first game.”

Added fellow defensive tackle Judge Culpepper: “The guy’s just a freak athlete. He’s ridiculously fast and damn good.”

In an often-repeated story about Oweh’s speed, fellow athletic anomaly Micah Parsons — who also appeared on Feldman’s “Freaks List” — challenged the defensive end to a footrace around the spring. Parsons, who was also a high school running back, was considered the heavy favorite.

Even Oweh figured Parsons and his low-4.4 speed would come out on top. But Oweh couldn’t resist a challenge. And then he won.

“I didn’t think I was going to beat him like that,” Oweh recalled with a laugh Wednesday night. “But I beat him. He was trying to refute it, saying that, ‘Oh, he didn’t beat me.’

“Then we raced again — and I beat him again.”

Said Franklin: “Everybody knew (Oweh) was fast, but I don’t think anybody thought he was that fast.”

Even if Oweh’s 40 was hand-timed by staff member slow to hit the trigger — let’s say it was off by a tenth of a second — Oweh still would’ve boasted a faster time than 26 of 32 cornerbacks in the 2019 NFL Combine. Cornerbacks.

But Oweh isn’t just a track athlete in pads. His feats of strength are nearly as impressive.

Linebacker Ellis Brooks said one of his most vivid memories of Oweh involves matching Parsons in the weight room. During power-cleans one day, both Parsons and Oweh hit personal records — but Oweh wasn’t satisfied. He put on more weight.

“Out of nowhere, you just see him grab the bar and everyone’s like, ‘Is he about to do this?’” Ellis recalled. “And he takes it and lifts it up — that was probably the time I was most impressed by him.”

Oweh can clean 365 pounds, a weight most 300-pound offensive lineman would take. And he benches 380 pounds, a respectable amount that does not yet border on elite.

Oweh is undoubtedly a project, more prospect than Pro-Bowler. Last season, he acknowledged, he would try to pass-rush during obvious running plays. He struggled making pre-snap reads.

But part of the reason he came to Penn State — besides the fact Franklin played college ball with three of his high school coaches — is DL coach Sean Spencer’s reputation for developing players. He’s not just a one-trick Nittany Lion anymore.

“I feel like the first game I played last year, I was just trying to sack the quarterback,” Oweh said. “This time, I was focused on all facets of the game. ... The jump I made was pretty big, and I feel like I have a long way to go.”

In limited time Saturday against Idaho, Oweh finished with a sack. And, if confidence from his teammates and coaching staff is any indication, he’ll have plenty to be proud of in the near future.

“He’s definitely a blessed individual,” Brooks added. “He’s very talented, and he has a great work ethic, too — it’s not just God-given. And I just know he’s going to do great things for us.”

This story was originally published September 5, 2019 at 5:51 PM.