Notre Dame landed a big commitment on Monday when former Duke pass rusher RJ Oben committed to the Irish. The son of former NFL offensive tackle Roman Oben, RJ had been a productive member of the Blue Devils over the last three seasons.
He surprised some by passing on the NFL and a Reese’s Senior Bowl invite this offseason, instead heading back to college for one more year. Notre Dame is getting a pass rusher with legitimate upside in Oben. There is still a higher upside to unlock.
I broke down what Oben brings to Notre Dame as a player.
Height/Weight: 6-4, 260
Hometown/High School: Montclair, N.J./St. Peters
Eligibility Remaining: 1 season
Oben was a part of Duke’s 2019 class, which means he will be a sixth-year player in 2024.
CAREER STATS
Oben has been part of the Duke rotation for a few seasons, including starting the last three seasons. Here is a look at his production for the Blue Devils.
2023: 17 total tackles, 6.0 TFLs, 5.0 sacks, 1 pass breakup
2022: 20 total tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
2021: 25 total tackles, 7 TFLs, 5.0 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 interception, 1 pass breakup
2020: 4 total tackles, 0.5 TFLs
2019: 1 total tackle
Career Totals: 67 total tackles, 20 TFLs, 14.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups
PASS RUSH UPSIDE
Oben has been utilized most as a pass rusher so far in his college career. He brings an impressive blend of physical tools and nuance to the position, possessing even more untapped impact in that area moving forward.
Physically, Oben has a great blend of physical gifts. He boasts a really nice frame, having good bulk and core strength. Oben is also sleek, which shows up as a pass rusher, seeming to be slippery as a rusher a ton. There is also a good amount of length, possessing the talent to get in the frame of opposing offensive lineman.
Oben has a good first step to make offensive lineman overset at times. He also has an advanced pass rush tool box, having a cross chop, club rip, speed rush and inside counter in his arsenal. That nuance, combined with the raw tools, make him a legitimate threat as a pass rusher.
RUN GAME IMPACT
As a run defender, Oben is a pretty puzzling player. With a good combination of length, bulk and core strength, he has shown the talent to play effectively at the point of attack. He can also set an edge, keeping contain pretty consistently.
For whatever reason, Oben just doesn’t play as urgently against the run. It doesn’t seem to be from a lack of effort. He just isn’t very aggressive to get off of blocks. Duke also rotates a lot and seems to feature him a lot more for his pass rush impact.
There are clearly tools for Oben to work with, which should allow him to be more of an asset in the run game. His long year at Notre Dame will be important to showcase improvement in that area.
VERSATILITY
In Duke’s defense, Oben was used from Both a three point, four point stance and as a standup rusher at times. He played mostly from wide alignments but would occasionally reduce down to rush from the inside.
As far as usage, Oben would occasionally get dropped into coverage but very rarely. He is a true edge defender who is much better moving forward. Oben could play as either an even front defensive end, or odd front outside linebacker. In the latter role, Oben would be best used to the weak side so he wouldn’t be forced to drop as much.
NOTRE DAME FIT
Oben brings a very intriguing fit into the Notre Dame defense. He could conceivably play as the field end, which was occupied by Javontae Jean-Baptiste this season. In that role, Oben will have to show that he can make a ton more plays in the run game and become an asset as an edge-setter.
He could also potentially fit as a Vyper, similarly to how Isaiah Foskey fit. He wouldn’t be the super versatile Vyper type but his pass rush upside, looseness, and repertoire would be intriguing in one-on-one matchups. In either spot, Oben brings the pass rush upside that Irish need more of in 2024.
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