For all of the issues we've seen with Christian Parker and the Dallas Cowboys' defense this season, it's safe to say that veteran defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia hasn't been one of them. If anything, he's been a bright spot for a unit that hasn't had much to be excited about over the course of the year.
Ogbonnia was a player the Cowboys signed away from Los Angeles to just a one-year deal worth $3 million in free agency. Hopes weren't high for him, especially because he was set to play behind Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, but he's started to make a name for himself as an elite run stuffer.
However, in the snaps that he has played, he has real merit to be the NFL's best true run defender. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Nick Harris, among all interior defensive linemen with over 100 snaps played against the run, Ogbonnia is the player with the highest run-stop rate at 13%.
That's better than guys like Dexter Lawrence, Derrick Brown, Jordan Davis, and even Quinnen Williams. So, while he may not be a household name, the fact that made this much of an impact as a run stuffer across seven games in Dallas has to at least be something the Cowboys can be proud of.
Dallas Cowboys may have found a total gem in DT Otito Ogbonnia
The 26-year-old has carved out a role as the Cowboys' most reliable run defender, as 128 of his 220 snaps this season (58.2%) have come as a run defender compared to just 92 snaps (41.8%) as a pass-rusher. And when he's in the game against the run, he's proven to be wildly productive.
In those 128 snaps, Ogbonnia has amassed 16 run stops, good for third-most (tied with Zach Allen) among all DTs. He is behind two of the best in the business in Jeffery Simmons and Byron Murphy II, and has recorded one more stop than both Davis and Lawrence, and two more than Williams.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Texas native's 75.1 run defense grade ranks seventh out of 126 qualified defensive tackles, as all too often this year, we've seen him make plays in the backfield and just overpower the blocker because they cannot handle a guy with a 6-foot-4, 320-pound frame.
The number of times he's saved this Cowboys' run defense from giving up a big play by limiting a gain or making a play in the backfield is mind-boggling. And given he's also logged five pressures and two QB hits, he's solid as a pass-rusher, which is another reason why he's been a gem of a find in Dallas.
Entering the season, I don't think anyone would've had had this on their bingo card, but Ogbonnia has been a man on a mission in run defense, and you could truly argue he's been the NFL's best run defender this year. Jerry Jones better move quickly to sign him long-term, since he deserves it.
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