Rice defensive end Ikenna Enechukwu: ‘It’s my dream just to be drafted, I’m trusting the process’

HOUSTON – Ikenna Enechukwu is accustomed to chasing down what he wants, relentlessly pursuing quarterback sacks and disrupting the line of scrimmage.

For the Rice defensive end, his next goal has required patience and diligence as he waits through the final weeks before the NFL draft.

An East-West Shrine Bowl all-star game participant who recently worked out for the Texans at their local prospect day and, later, worked out for the , Enechukwu is confident that his work is being noticed and that he’ll be drafted on the final day of the three-day selection process.

“I’ve learned a lot, that I’m always going to be competitive and not going to be satisfied as I go after my dreams,” said Enechukwu, who’s represented by Goal Line Football. “I feel like I’m going to be a later-round pick. It’s my dream just to be drafted. I still have a lot more to improve.

“My agents think I have a good shot to get drafted with the amount of teams interested in me. It could be anywhere from the fifth round on. They’re going to get someone who’s going to give top effort who wants to win. Winning is everything to me. That’s what I want to do.”

The Kansas City, Missouri native thoroughly enjoyed working out for the Texans and meeting new coach DeMeco Ryans and defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire during a local prospect day.

“It was just awesome being around the new staff, it feels like they’ve got a good thing going on around there,” Enechukwu said. “They said they were fans of me. They want to see me improve my bend some more, but they liked my physicality and effort and versatility.

“I shook hands with DeMeco. He told us about his background and that it’s all about attitude, commitment and effort. He told us to manage our mental health and keep our determination and to enjoy this journey. Coach Cesaire, he was awesome. I like the way he ran his position drills.”

Enechukwu recorded 37 tackles, 9 1/2 for losses and 4 1/2 sacks last season. He had 48 tackles, eight for losses and 4 1/2 sacks two seasons ago.

Although he’s a versatile player, defensive end appears to be his spot in the NFL.

“Most teams see me as a defensive end on the outside,” Enechukwu said. “They’re getting somebody who has a lot of length, knows how to use it and will be able to set hard edges and rush the passer.”

At 6-foot-4, 269 pounds, Enechukwu ran the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds at the NFL scouting combine where he had a 31 1/2 inch vertical leap and a 10-0 broad jump.

Off the field, Enechukwu is a high-character individual and a high academic achiever. He has graduated with a degree in kinesiology and is pursing his master’s degree in business administration. He feels well prepared after playing at Rice for coach Mike Bloomgren.

“They’ll get someone who’s a real teammate, someone who will look out for you, I’ll be there for people,” Enechukwu said. “I appreciate Rice. It’s a blessing to represent the school in a good way and get Rice back to the top in football. Everything about my time there was a positive thing. I loved my time there.”

Enechukwu was a cornerstone of Bloomgren’s first recruiting class as a second-team all-state selection from Missouri who helped Ruskin win a playoff game despite suiting up just 19 players. A former wrestler and marching band participant pursuing his master’s degree in business administration, Enechukwu can play everywhere from nose tackle to three-technique to a wide defensive end

“I’ve definitely lined up a lot at every single position,” Enechukwu said. “You’ll mainly see me in the C or B gap. That’s where I spend most of my time. I feel like I can do it all. I have the strength and mentality to play any position. What makes the most sense is to be that C-gap defensive end.”

At the NFL level, he’s expected to play defensive end and could even project as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.

For the next stage to go the way he’s hoping it will, he knows he has continue to grow as a player.

“I am incredibly proud,” Enechukwu said. “I’m not where I want to be yet. I came so far, but I have a long way to go. I do feel accomplished and proud of how far I’ve been able to get so far with how little I had to start with. I can’t wait for the draft to get here.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com