2023 NFL Draft Snapshot: DeMarvion Overshown
DeMarvion Overshown finished the 2019 season as a defensive back, but then-Texas head coach Tom Herman and staff wanted to make a switch before the 2020 campaign. They wanted Overshown to move from safety to linebacker, a move that at the time Overshown wasn’t sure about.
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The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic made the learning curve even steeper. Valuable reps were not taken since Overshown was stuck at home like most of the country. But then, he started all 10 games at the position in 2020, recorded 60 tackles, 8.0 TFL, a sack, and two interceptions.
His performance in the Alamo Bowl was one of his best of the year. After the game, where he took home defensive MVP honors, Overshown knew he made the right choice.
While COVID robbed him of reps ahead of 2020, a shoulder injury in 2021 did the same. After electing to return for his super-senior season and with a full slate of spring practices in 2022, plus the additional hours coaches could spend with players over the summer, Overshown was primed for a standout final season.
He saved his best season on the Forty Acres for last. Both he and Jaylan Ford earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2022, a year where Overshown had 96 tackles, 10.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks, and five passes defended.
Alongside Ford, Overshown played the WILL linebacker spot more often tasked with coverage responsibilities, harkening back to his defensive back days. Even so, his best work may have been as a situational pass-rusher. Thanks to transfer Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey, the coaches felt comfortable placing Overshown opposite an offensive tackle in passing situations. Those opportunities highlighted his elite chase-down ability for someone of his size. It’s part of why the leagues coaches picked him to be first-team all-conference.
Despite a 6-foot-3 frame, Overshown was a hard gainer. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian admitted in recent weeks that Overshown’s playing weight was in the 220-pound range, and sometimes even under that number. That made for some tough plays when an opponent’s 300-plus pound blocker was barreling down on him, and something he’ll have to address before his first NFL game. He played the run admirably, but it was one of the holes in his game in multiple senses.
In addition to his standard down play, Overshown was a featured player on the Longhorn special teams units. His speed, athleticism, and over 78-inch wingspan often helped him make plays on kickoff and punt teams. He played 472 special teams snaps throughout his five-year career.
That high-level athleticism and willingness to play just about any role will appeal to a number of NFL franchises, but there may still be some hesitation about Overshown’s ability to play on first and second down in the NFL. Whoever picks him will have to understand they’ll be responsible for improving his standard down ability while still retaining what makes him an appealing special teams and situational player. He could also factor in on sub packages that places speed on the field while developing his inside-the-box skill set.
There’s little doubt about Overshown’s ability as a football player, with special teams experience and his year-over-year improvement statistically and on the field as evidence. However, teams may be skeptical about his ability as a linebacker, especially in a league where two-high safety looks are becoming the norm and linebackers must function as a stiff line of defense.
His elite physical tools and continued improvement, plus his first-team all-conference caliber of play, indicate an upside that has him in the late day two or early day three range. It may take time for him to reach his ceiling, but his current floor and skill set make him an intriguing option for teams to mold over the coming years.
40-yard dash: 4.56 (1.55 10-yard split) | Bench: 15 | Vertical: 36.5 inches | Broad Jump: 10 feet 6 inches | 3 Cone: 7.17 | 20-yard shuttle: 4.47 | 60-yard shuttle: N/A | The Athletic draft grade: Round 3-4
Pro day measurements: 6-foot-2.75, 231 pounds
What’s working for Overshown
- Elite athleticism for a linebacker, especially the figures posted at 230 pounds
- Pass-rush and coverage ability
- Willing and violent tackler, uses arm length to corral quick ball-carriers who may try to change strike zone
- Tremendous special team player, would be a valuable asset on a 53-man roster
- Year-over-year improvement at his primary position
What’s working against Overshown
- Light, hard-gainer frame for a between-the-tackles LB in a two-high safety world
- Can get pushed around by larger blockers
- Sometimes is slow on his reads
- In a class with multiple experienced off-ball linebackers
