Joe
Tryon-Shoyinka.
Joe
Tryon-Shoyinka.
Washington· 6'5"· 259 lb· 4.69s 40
"An opt-out edge with a starter's floor. Not the traits monster of the class, but a well-rounded stand-up rusher whose hand usage and versatility projected cleanly to a Day 1 NFL role."Pre-draft read
This edge defender aligns primarily as a stand-up rusher, using exceptional length and active, precise hands to disrupt plays. He converts notable speed into formidable power against blockers, exhibiting a low pad level and raw strength to drive them back directly into the quarterback’s pocket. In run defense, he reliably sets a hard edge, using his frame to maintain outside contain and constrict running lanes.
He further demonstrates significant versatility by capably dropping into coverage, displaying notable flexibility and awareness in short zone alignments. While not reliant on elite bend, he consistently leverages high-motor effort and refined technique. His game is fundamentally built on relentless pressure through direct force and intelligent, strategic hand usage.
Best fit in a multiple-front defense that values length and versatility, allowing him to play as a stand-up edge rusher and occasionally drop into coverage.
Year 1 rotational edge rusher with strong special teams value, developing into a 700-snap, three-down starter capable of setting the edge and generating pressure.
A purely gap-scheme, two-gap 3-4 interior defensive end where his length and athleticism would be underutilized and he would be asked to consistently absorb double teams.
Tryon-Shoyinka's scheme versatility and well-rounded game make him a high-floor prospect who can contribute in multiple defensive alignments as he refines his pass-rush technique.
Joe Tryon — Washington 2019 highlights
All-Pac-12 tape: hand usage, speed-to-power and the stand-up edge versatility Tampa Bay drafted.
Joe Tryon — Washington career reel
Full Pac-12 sample: run defense, hybrid alignment and the well-rounded starter floor.
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka — Buccaneers NFL highlights
Tampa Bay reps: pressure rate, hand plan and the serviceable-starter outcome.
This prospect projects as a well-rounded starting edge defender, offering a high floor due to his established technique and effort. His value lies in his ability to contribute across all three downs, providing sound run defense, consistent pass-rush pressure through strength, and flexibility in coverage schemes. Teams are investing in a player who can immediately step into a complementary role within a defensive line rotation.
His evaluation largely stems from a strong 2019 season where he recorded 8 sacks and earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a hybrid stand-up rusher. After opting out of the 2020 season, evaluators focused on this pre-pandemic body of work, noting his effective hand usage and ability to convert speed to power. He demonstrated the versatility to play from various alignments across Washington's scheme.
Concerns among evaluators centered on his lack of elite bend and a dominant finishing gear, suggesting he might not become a top-tier pressure creator. Despite a solid athletic profile, he was not considered among the class's most explosive athletes. Consensus projected him as a scheme-versatile, high-floor, moderate-ceiling first-round pick, leading to his selection with the 32nd overall pick.
- 01
Exceptional Length
Prototype edge frame at 6-5, 262 pounds with 34-inch arms provides length and mass for diverse alignments.
- 02
Explosive First Step
Explosive first-step get-off stresses offensive tackles vertically, forcing early, sloppy sets and generating pressure.
- 03
Speed to Power
Converts speed to power effectively, utilizing a long-arm and stab to drive tackles backward, collapsing the pocket.
- 04
Coverage Versatility
Demonstrates strong coverage versatility, having been deployed in short zones, offering scheme flexibility.
- 05
Strong Football Makeup
Exhibits strong football makeup, recognized as a respected team captain whose work ethic is consistently praised.
- 01
Limited Recent Tape
Limited 2020 tape due to an opt-out forces evaluators to rely heavily on a 2019 season with modest sack production.
- 02
Limited Pass Rush Moves
Pass-rush traits currently outrun his sequence; needs a more reliable secondary move to consistently beat NFL tackles.
- 03
Ankle Mobility
High-cut athlete who rounds the top of his rush, with ankle mobility limiting ability to flatten to the quarterback.
- 04
Inconsistent Hand Technique
Hand technique shows inconsistency, with punches sometimes wide, allowing tackles to control the engagement.
— — — positional median (p50)
- 40 yd
- 4.69sp50
- Vertical
- 35inp50
- Broad jump
- 116inp50
- Three-cone
- 7.18sp50
- Shuttle
- 4.36sp50
- Bench
- 22repp50
| Yr | Team | G | Tkl | Sk | Int | PD | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Washington | 12 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | Washington | 13 | 41 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career | — | 25 | 61 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
Useful rotational edge with length, power flashes and solid run value, but not a consistent double-digit sack threat.
Long, versatile front-seven athlete who can rush, drop and play a flexible role if the instincts and technique keep developing.
Effort and frame keep him around, but limited rush craft could leave him as depth rather than a true starter.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Selected 32nd overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka served primarily as a rotational edge and eventual starter across four seasons in Tampa, totaling roughly 15 sacks across 65 games. The Buccaneers declined his fifth-year option in May 2024, and he entered the 2024 season as a starter but produced a modest 3.5-sack year in a contract season. He signed a one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns in the 2025 offseason to reset his career in a new front. He has earned no Pro Bowl selections and, through 2025, stands as a serviceable NFL starter whose overall production has not delivered on the premium of a Round 1 pick at a premium position.
Tampa Bay's selection of Joe Tryon-Shoyinka at 32 was Jason Licht's version of a "next man up" pick. The Buccaneers were coming off a Super Bowl win with a veteran edge rotation — Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul both on the wrong side of 30 — and needed a long-term investment at a premium position. Tryon-Shoyinka's pre-draft file fit perfectly: a 2019 All-Pac-12 season, a full year off, a clean athletic profile at 6'5" and 262 pounds, and a well-rounded starter's floor with modest but real developmental ceiling. Nobody in Tampa was projecting him as the class's next star; the pick was about continuity at a premium spot.
The professional arc tracked what the tape suggested. Tryon-Shoyinka became a rotational rookie behind the veterans, then a full-time starter in 2022 and 2023 when Barrett's Achilles opened the door. The production was serviceable but never dominant: 4 sacks, then 4, then 3.5 in an expanded role. The pressure rate was respectable, the run defense was fine, and the film contained the same "solid, not spectacular" profile it had at Washington. Tampa Bay declined his fifth-year option in May 2024 and, when he hit the market in the spring of 2025, he signed a modest one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns.
In hindsight, Tryon-Shoyinka is one of the class's clearer "Day 2 outcome from a Round 1 pick" stories. The evaluation itself wasn't reckless — he was a well-rounded edge with a starter's floor, and he has been exactly that. The problem is what an NFL first-round pick is supposed to return at a premium position. In a class where multiple later edges (Rousseau at 30, several Day 2 names) delivered more, and where the "traits" edge one pick earlier (Oweh) has out-produced him, Tryon-Shoyinka's tidy solid-starter career reads as a modest miss rather than a hit. The evaluation was right; the value wasn't.