Dana Holgorsen and his Houston Cougars picked up one of their top recruiting priorities with the addition of a local star, Chidozie Nwankwo, to his 2020 class. Great defenses need a disruptive presence in the middle and they are getting that and more with Nwankwo.
Nwankwo is a 6’0 275-pound nose guard from Foster High School in Richmond, Texas. Foster is about 35-minutes outside of Houston. This is a huge pickup for the Cougars because Nwankwo had offers from LSU, Baylor, Duke, Virginia Tech, Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Minnesota, and several more.
Foster just finished up their football season with an 8-5 overall record and lost a close one 36-31 to undefeated Shadow Creek in the 5A Division 1 Regional Semis.
Top 5 Nose Guard in Texas
Out of all the nose guards in the state of Texas, we have Chidozie in our Top 5 with an EFN Rating of 90 overall. He has the skill level, motor, and intangibles that have some comparing him to Ed Oliver. Oliver was a 3x All-American at Houston and was the 9th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.
That is a huge compliment and big shoes to fill but Chidozie is an elite player with a dominating mindset and is one of the most impressive prospects in the 2020 recruiting class.
EFN EVALUATION
Nwankwo is a little undersized at 6-0 275-pounds but if you let that steer you away from him you are going to regret that decision. Chidozie is one of the toughest, most polished pass rushers in the state. His strength and power allow him to collapse the pocket and drive offensive linemen back. He is well-trained using his hands, has the quickness to get in the backfield, and gets excellent leverage off the snap. He can stack and shed with the best in the state and has the change of direction speed to chase down opposing quarterbacks and running backs.
STATE CHAMPION WRESTLER
Not only is Nwankwo a great football player, but he also won the Texas State 5A Wrestling Championship as a sophomore and lost in the finals as a junior in a controversial decision. That state finals loss was his only one over the last two years. The controversial decision was a minor setback with accomplishing his goal but it will definitely motivate him even more during his senior year and he is hands down the favorite to win it.
Wrestling has undoubtedly helped him on the football field and has given him that relentless mindset you need as an interior defensive lineman. The wrestling traits and techniques he has learned helps him overcome obstacles pursuing opposing quarterbacks. The success he has had as a wrestler and the lessons it has taught him translates to the football field. This is another reason we believe Chidozie will have a great college career.
The Cougars will reap the rewards from their recruiting efforts locking down Nwankwo and in 3-4 years you may hear another nose guard’s name from Houston called on draft day.
