Summary

Caden Curry (22 years old) is a powerful, high-motor defensive end who has played his entire college career at Ohio State, developing from a rotational piece into a featured edge defender within a deep defensive line room. In 2025, Curry recorded 66 total tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 11.0 sacks, emerging as Ohio State’s most disruptive pass rusher and a consistent finisher in high-leverage situations. His breakout 2025 campaign earned him First-Team All-Big Ten honors and All-America consideration, building on earlier contributions during the Buckeyes’ 2024 national championship run. A Communications major who graduated in three years, Curry has been recognized within the program for his steady academic progress and mature approach, and coaches frequently point to his practice habits and attention to detail as indicators of his development. Before focusing solely on football at Ohio State, Curry was an All-county baseball player as a first baseman and pitcher, helping lead his high school team to a state title appearance. Unlike many elite defensive starters who focus exclusively on their primary role, Curry was a fixture on special teams throughout his college career. He logged nearly 400 special teams snaps and was known for game-changing plays like his blocked punt against Purdue in 2024. From an injury standpoint, Curry has been durable throughout his career with no major injuries causing extended absences, reinforcing his reliability as a foundational edge defender.

Strengths

First Step Burst: Times the snap well and gains immediate ground upfield, stressing offensive tackles early in reps. Moves well laterally for his size and can track plays in space.
Bull Rush: Flashes the ability to transition burst into knock-back force, collapsing the edge of the pocket. Uses clubs, swipes, and rips to disengage and prevent blockers from settling.
You Won’t Like Me When I’m Angry: Pissed off brand of football, pursuing relentlessly from the backside and competes through the whistle. Isn’t satisfied with just tackling ball carriers - he is looking to snatch their soul on every play. Stays alive late in reps, retraces when the QB moves, and creates cleanup production.
Three Down Defender: Sets a firm edge with physicality and forces runs back inside. Has the quickness to reduce inside on passing downs and attack guards with penetration.

Weaknesses

Turning a Corner: More linear than flexible, limiting tight turns at the top of the rush. More power/stride than true cornering flexibility, so tight-arc speed rushes can flatten out and drift past the QB.

Effort vs Dominance: A meaningful portion of pressure can come via stunts/extended reps, and he must prove consistent isolated wins vs NFL-caliber tackles.
Chain Reaction: When the first two steps don’t win, he’ll cycle back to power again instead of chaining moves with intentional sequencing and setup. Can get too far upfield chasing the sack, opening escape lanes when he doesn’t “cap” the rush with his outside hip.
Short Arms: Wildly short arm length. Will expose his chest/shoulders when he strikes outside, letting tackles latch and steer him through the arc (and creating hold-risk when he’s stressed).

Outlook

Curry projects as a high-motor, power-oriented edge defender with strong hands, disciplined edge-setting ability, and enough burst to threaten tackles when he converts speed to power. He fits best in 4-3 or multiple-front defenses that value sturdy defensive ends who can play early downs, reduce inside on passing situations, and collapse the pocket rather than operate strictly as wide-9 speed rushers. Curry is one of our “hidden gems” who is being extremely undervalued and should go much higher than consensus draft boards have him currently. With that being said, expect Curry to end up selected somewhere in day two.

Pro Comparison: Chris Long

Team Fits: JAX, DET, LV, NE, CHI

Report written by Filip Prus