From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on UCLA EDGE Oluwafemi Oladejo.
No. 2 OLUWAFEMI OLADEJO, EDGE, UCLA (SENIOR) – 6026, 261 POUNDS
SENIOR BOWL PARTISCIPANT
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Oluwafemi Oladejo | 6026/261 | 9 3/4 | 33 1/2 | 80 3/4 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
THE GOOD
— Has the size/height/length profile you look for on the edge
— Plus-athlete with great play speed/explosiveness
— Shows great pursuit of the football as a run defender
— Displays impressive closing speed and burst
— Motor runs hot from snap to whistle
— Play strength pops on tape with his bull rush
— Can knock back offensive linemen into the pocket
— Has played all over the defensive front as well as at off-ball linebacker
— Doesn’t quit on his rush when first move fails
— Can bend the corner with dip/rip and outside chop moves
— Will evade blocks when stunting inside with his quickness
— Strains to get into position to make the tackle
THE BAD
— Has only one season of playing on the edge under his belt
— Lacks a great pass rush plan
— Needs to work on his hands to win with more finesse
— Block shedding needs ot be improved
— Lack of counters allow tackles to neutralize his rush often
— Can come in out of control, putting himself out of the play
— More disruptive than productive as a pass rusher
— Isn’t the most fluid mover out in space in coverage
BIO
— Senior prospect from Elk Grove, CA
— Born September 20, 2003
— African American studies major
— Enjoys playing Madden in his free time
— Three-star recruit according to Rivals
— Played linebacker and wide receiver in high school
— Lost senior season in high school due to COVID
— Committed to the University of California-Berkley out of high school
— Played in nine games in 2021 and made seven tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and two quarterback hurries
— Started 10-of-12 games in 2022 and made 91 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack, one interception, one pass breakup, two pass deflections, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery
— Transferred to UCLA prior to the 2023 season
— Started four-of-13 games in 2023 and posted 54 total tackles, three tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, one interception, three pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries
— Moved from off-ball linebacker to EDGE ahead of his senior season
— Started all 12 games in 2024 and posted 57 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and two pass deflections
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Oluwafemi Oladejo started his career as an off-ball linebacker for the California Bears before becoming an edge rusher for the UCLA Bruins this past season, and the position switch has proved to be a fruitful one for the 6026, 261-pound defender.
Oladejo is a big, fast athlete who displays phenomenal effort in pursuit, running down ball carriers like he did when he was playing off the ball. Watch the clips below of Oladejo making the tackle with his closing speed and burst to close the space between he and the ball carrier.
Oladejo does a good job shooting through gaps and lining up in different spots along the defensive line, using his athleticism and quickness to make plays in the backfield. Watch this play Oladejo makes against Washington as he shoots across the right tackle’s face into the backfield to make the tackle for loss, getting to the running back relatively clean on the play.
Oladejo is a sound tackler when he gets his hands on a ball carrier, having the strength and length to bring them to the ground as you can see in the clip below against the Huskies. He wraps up the runner as he comes off the block and wrestles him down to the ground for no gain on the play. In the second clip, we see Oladejo squeeze down the line of scrimmage on the run, having RB Kaleb Johnson run right into his hands for the stop.
When it comes to rushing the passer, Oladejo has a long way to go in refining his technique. He needs to develop better hand usage and a better pass rush plan to consistently win against opposing offensive linemen, as he got most of his production on extended plays this past season where he won with his motor and effort. That’s the case in the clip below, where he wrestles a quarterback from Iowa to the ground as he attempts to scramble from the pocket as Oladejo was unable to win cleanly on his rush.
Still, Oladejo does flash bend and burst around the edge, having the ability to turn the corner as he executes the dip/rip or outside chop moves. In the clip below, he gets to the quarterback as he releases the ball to apply some pressure.
CONCLUSION
Oluwafemi Oladejo is a raw, yet intriguing prospect who flashed in his first full season as an edge rusher and has plenty of the tools and traits you desire in a developmental pass rusher. He needs to refine his craft, especially with his hands, but his burst, strength and athleticism make him an enticing prospect to bring in on Day 3 of the draft and attempt to develop into a rotational pass rusher.
When coming up with a pro comp for Oladejo, Josh Uche comes to mind as another edge rusher with off-ball linebacker experience who has a similar size and athletic profile. Oladejo has the profile that the Steelers like in their edge rushers, and his character/hearts and smarts could make him be in consideration with one of their final draft picks this April.
Projection: Mid-Late Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.0 – Backup/Special Teamer (5th Round)
Games Watched: at Washington (2024), vs Iowa (2024), vs USC (2024)
