Four things to know about new Green Bay Packers defender Kingsley Enagbare
Former South Carolina standout Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare is off to the NFL.
Enagbare was taken in the fifth round and No. 179 overall by the Green Bay Packers in the 2022 NFL Draft on Saturday.
Here’s four things to know about the latest Gamecocks defensive lineman to join football’s professional ranks:
Why is Kingsley Enagbare nicknamed ”JJ”?
Enagbare has largely gone by “JJ” for the bulk of his career due to an infatuation with a children’s television show as a kid.
“It was a childhood nickname that my mother gave me,” he told South Carolina’s official website in October. “There was a little show that I used to watch, ‘Jay Jay the Jet Plane,’ and I would act like him all the time.”
He was a top high school recruit out of Atlanta
Enagbare came to South Carolina as a four-star recruit and the No. 269 player in the 2018 class, per the 247Sports Composite. He was also rated the No. 10 strong side defensive end in the country and the No. 29 prospect in the state of Georgia.
The Atlanta native was part of an elite South Carolina recruiting class that ranked 18th nationally in 247Sports team rankings.
Enagbare was one of eight four-star prospects in a group that also included eventual first round draft pick Jaycee Horn, quarterback/receiver Dakereon Joyner, defensive lineman Rick Sandidge, receiver Josh Vann and offensive lineman Dylan Wonnum.
He was a projected 1st round pick, but fell down boards
Enagbare’s numbers over the last few years indicated he might be in line for a massive jump in 2021 as an anchor for the Gamecocks defense.
It never quite materialized.
Enagbare drew ample attention from opposing offensive lines and he still managed to record career highs in tackles (42) and solo tackles (27). However, his 2.5 sacks and five tackles for a loss were his lowest marks since his freshman season in 2018.
The 2022 NFL Draft class was loaded with talented edge rushers. Enagbare’s solid but not overwhelming numbers combined with mixed results during testing saw his stock slide from a possible Day 1 slot to the No. 179 spot he landed at.
He’s the latest Gamecocks DL selected in the NFL Draft
South Carolina has spit out plenty of talented defensive players over the last decade-plus, and Enagbare is the latest.
Seventeen former Gamecocks defenders have been selected in the NFL Draft since 2010. Five of those players have been defensive ends. D.J. Wonnum was the most recent draftee in that group when he was selected in the fourth round by the Minnesota Vikings in 2020.
Other recent South Carolina defensive ends to be drafted include Cliff Matthews (2011), Melvin Ingram (2012), Devin Taylor (2013) and Jadeveon Clowney (2014). Both Ingram and Clowney were taken in the first round.
Enagbare has positional versatility
Enagbare told reporters during his time at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis scouts were impressed with his ability to play multiple positions.
He mostly played the “Buck” role in South Carolina’s defense that functions as a hybrid linebacker and defensive end.
It’s not altogether clear whether Enagbare will be more of a linebacker or defensive end at the next level (though, it’s more likely to be the latter). That said, NFL teams have trended toward selecting players that can line up in a handful of spots defensively to better combat the spacing of spread offenses in recent years.
Enagbare should have some value in a handful of different schemes, but he’ll make his money and stick in the league because of his ability to rush the passer.
