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Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa is headed to Buffalo Bills as the No. 54 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Congratulations @ajepenesa24 you’re a @BuffaloBills! Taken in the second round of the 2020 @NFLDraft | #NFLDraft #NFLHawks pic.twitter.com/AJre666LPw
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) April 25, 2020
Despite a fall much later into the 2nd round than most would have predicted, Epenesa finds himself in a great spot on a team familiar with Hawkeye defenders. Buffalo has been home to defensive back Micah Hyde the last three seasons.
While it was the second round, Epenesa was the first pick overall in 2020 for the Bills.
First Bills pick of the 2020 NFL Draft.
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) April 25, 2020
Welcome to Buffalo, A.J. Epenesa! #GoBills pic.twitter.com/BA6xdh2pX4
A highly heralded recruit coming into Iowa, Epenesa had three great years wearing the black and gold before forgoing his senior season, and being selected in the first round of the NFL Draft speaks for itself. Although Epenesa had a strong junior season, his performance at the NFL Combine left a bit to be desired in the minds of some NFL scouts, which pushed him to the later parts of the first round.
For a better breakdown of what Epenesa will bring to Buffalo, check out our own Rob Donaldson’s breakdown HERE.
And here are Epenesa’s measurements from the Combine, as well as performance numbers:
Measurements
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 275 lbs
Arms: 34 1/2”
Hands: 10 1/8”
Combine Results
40-yard dash: 5.04 seconds
Bench press reps: 17
Vertical jump (inches): 32.5 inches
Broad jump (inches): 117.0 inches
3 cone drill: 7.34
20 yard shuttle: 4.46
We wish AJ nothing but the best in the NFL! Like Adrian Clayborn before him, I feel like Epenesa can have a long, successful career in the league. We’ll miss you, AJ!