Oday Aboushi: 5 Things You Need to Know About the Virginia OT

In today's NFL, offensive lineman are more valuable than ever, especially those who are skilled pass blockers. This offensive line draft class is particularly deep, and Oday Aboushi fits right in the middle of the pack.  

Aboushi has plenty of talent, but there are a few key things holding him back from being a top pick. His draft stock fluctuated throughout the 2012 season, and began to steady out around the middle rounds as the draft process wore on.

The former Virginia Cavalier is one of the prime examples in this year's draft of a player who will likely go lower than expected because of the plethora of solid offensive linemen available.

Here's a look at five things you need to know about Aboushi as he embarks on his NFL career. 

Background

Full Name: Oday Aboushi

Birthday: June 5, 1991

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

High School: Xaverian

Major: Sociology

Year: Senior

A rare top football prospect out of New York City, Aboushi was a standout lineman for Xaverian High School in Brooklyn. A National Honor Society member, Aboushi decided to attend UVA, a school known for its stellar academics, and stayed through his senior year and graduated this past winter.

Analysis

Aboushi is a strong, aggressive blocker with good football instincts. He has a good frame for the position, but looks a little too big and slow to be a left tackle and isn't compact enough to play guard.

He'll need to improve his agility and footwork, because he isn't a great natural athlete and can get beaten around the edge at times. He can run block and pass block equally well, which makes a possible move to right tackle advantageous. 

He has heavy, violent hands, and can do some serious work when he lands one on a defender's chest. His stamina has to get a little better though, because he breaks down when he gets tired and tends to stand up straight too often.

But his experience will be enticing to NFL teams. He played in six games as a true freshman, then started every game after that in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons.

Draft Process

Measurables

Height: 6'5"

Weight: 308

Arm Length: 33 7/8"

Hand Size: 10 5/8"

Combine Results 

40-Yard dash: 5.45 sec

Broad jump: 100.0 inch

Vertical jump: 23.5 inch

Bench press: 17 reps

3-Cone drill: 7.92 sec

20-Yard shuttle: 4.84 sec

Pro Day Results

40-Yard dash: 5.41 sec

Bench press: 21 reps

Aboushi really struggled at the combine, with some dismal numbers that were among the worst of all offensive linemen. He improved on the 40 and bench press at his pro day, but the combine has to be a concern.

All numbers from NFL Draft Scout and NFL.com

Interesting Facts

Aboushi has a very interesting and unique background for an NFL prospect. He is the ninth of 10 children, born and raised in Brooklyn.

His parents were both born in Palestine, and the Aboushi's still speak Arabic at times. Aboushi's older brother, Aymen, was a standout linebacker at Fordham.

In high school, Aboushi played on both the defensive and offensive line, and actually has seven sacks in both his junior and senior seasons.

Projection

Once thought of as a potential second-round pick, Aboushi has seen his stock slide since a poor combine performance. He still has some versatility with his size, however, and his experience is a plus as well.

Teams who need a player that can fill in at tackle or guard will consider Aboushi, although he won't go before the fourth round at this point.