Most crucial Jayhawks 2015: No. 13 – DE Anthony Olobia
Another player that figures to play an important role in KU’s success on defense this season falls in our countdown at No. 13.
Because the Jayhawks are unproven and inexperienced in the secondary and at linebacker, it’s going to be important for the guys up front to get after the quarterback on a regular basis.
That’s where this guy comes in. Here’s a look:
13. Anthony Olobia, 6-foot-5, 241-pound Jr. Defensive End
A defensive end with good size and speed from Renton, Washington, Olobia spent two seasons at Arizona Western Community College and spent his first season at Kansas as a red-shirt.
Olobia plays KU’s deepest position but is too talented to keep on the sideline. His length and quickness off the line of scrimmage give him the potential to terrorize quarterbacks. Olobia had 20 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and eight sacks during his sophomore juco season. His play drew recruiting interest from Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Utah.
KU’s defensive tackles lack size and strength, so Olobia and fellow edge pass rusher Damani Mosby can’t count on the quarterback getting flushed in their direction after the pocket collapses. That’s OK. Two talented pass-rushers coming off the edge can cause even more panic and it looks as if Kansas has two of them to complement third-year starter Ben Goodman, an all-around solid D-End.
Before sitting out last season, Olobia, the No. 2 rated juco D-End in his class, arrived with a big name and a ton of hype. After adjusting to KU and being fueled by his year off, the athletic defender said this spring he was ready to prove he was worth the hype.
Most Crucial Jayhawks 2015: