One of the biggest moves the Dallas Cowboys made this offseason was retaining one of their own. Osa Odighizuwa was arguably the best defensive tackle expected to hit the open market, but the front office locked him up just days before free agency opened. That solved one of their biggest needs and it allowed the Cowboys to select the best player available early in the 2025 NFL Draft.
But there has been some healthy debate where Odighizuwa ranks among other defensive tackles with many believing Dalals overpaid him this offseason. However, he did finish second among defensive tackles in quarterback hits last year and is one of the most consistent interior pass rushers in the league.
In a recent article by Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus, he ranked the top 32 interior defensive linemen in the NFL heading into the 2025 season. Of course, Odighizuwa was on that list, but he didn’t rank as highly as you might think. Sikkema slotted the former UCLA star at No. 25, behind the likes of Grover Stewart, D.J. Reader, and Poona Ford.
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Here is Sikkema's explanation behind the ranking:
"Odighizuwa struggled in run defense last year en route to a 50.8 PFF run-defense grade, but the entire Cowboys defense followed suit, so perhaps it came down to coaching. He did earn a 78.0-plus PFF pass-rush grade for the second season in a row. "Trevor Sikkema, Pro Football Focus
It’s true that Odighizuwa is not a polished run defender. That’s never been his game, but there have been seasons where he’s been better at stopping the run than he was in 2024. But that’s not why the Cowboys are paying him.
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They are paying him top-end money because he can rush the quarterback, and he’s been incredibly durable through the first four years of his career.
The hope is that Mazi Smith can eventually turn into a dominant one-technique, and his presence could free up Odighizuwa in the run game. The Cowboys have invested a ton into their defensive tackles, and the belief is that Matt Eberflus will make both players better during the 2025 season.
Odighizuwa is officially underrated because he doesn’t post big sack totals, but his ability to generate pressure and quarterback hits makes him a major difference-maker. Expect Odighizuwa to continue improving as he becomes more comfortable in the defense and as the Cowboys add more talent around him in future years.