The Chicago Bears Senior Bowl work is almost complete with the game about to kick off. So they wanted to make sure they squeezed in as many meetings as possible before things down in Mobile concluded Among a growing list of names, there is one of particular interest that popped up on the radar in the form of Oshane Ximines.
Most casual fans will have no idea who that is, so don’t feel bad. He was a defensive end at Old Dominion during his college career, a prominent school that recently joined the FBS level for Conference USA. However, to this point they haven’t produced anybody of note in the NFL though the Bears currently employ one of their alumni in tackle Rashaad Coward.
Many feel that Ximines might have a chance to be the first one out of that school who makes a legitimate impact at the pro level. His productivity for Old Dominion would seem to reinforce that with 32.5 sacks and 51 tackles for a loss over four seasons. He informed Bears Barroom that the Bears have spoken to him, which would indicate interest.
So what exactly could the team get if he ends up in Chicago?
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Oshane Ximines is among the most polished Bears Senior Bowl prospects
Teams tend to prefer upside and athleticism first when it comes to prioritizing players on a draft board. That’s unlikely to change. Ximines is a good athlete with decent size but nobody will say he’s upper tier in any category. That said, he’s well-put together with some quickness, bend, and power to his game that enables him to be such a productive pass rusher.
This shines through with his surprisingly vast array of moves that he’s able to utilize against offensive tackles. Bend the edge using a speed rush? Quick counter jab to the outside? Speed to power counter move? Straight bull rush? His tape demonstrates the capability to do all of that.
Common draft wisdom says that one must be wary of smaller school prospects. If they are to be taken seriously, then they should dominate at their level of competition. Making a total of 53.5 plays behind the line of scrimmage in four years would qualify as dominant. At 6’4, 255 lbs he also brings good size to the table as well.
If he’s available at some point between the 4th and 6th rounds, this would be a quality pickup with upside for the Bears.
