The Super Bowl is obviously the biggest event in football right now. That doesn’t mean it’s the only thing going on, though. This past week, both the Shrine Bowl and the Senior Bowl took place. These events showcased the best collegiate talent heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was in attendance.
During the week, players, coaches, and media all got to talk to each other. However, CBS’ Ryan Wilson did notice one conversation Tomlin had which stood out to him.
“Before Wednesday’s practice, I was looking out onto the field, and I saw Tomlin and ‘Femi [Oluwafemi Oladejo] having a five-minute conversation,” Wilson said via 93.7 The Fan on Tuesday. ” Mike Tomlin is perhaps more active than any other coach when it comes to being on the practice field and watching these guys up close and personal.”
The idea of Tomlin making an effort to connect with a young player isn’t anything new. Last week, DL Aeneas Peebles out of Virginia Tech spoke about how important it was to him to be able to speak to Tomlin. He’s a players’ coach through and through.
Mike Tomlin speaking to Oladejo might not mean too much. Still, Wilson thinks Oladejo is a player who should be on the radar of the Steelers’ fanbase.
“Oladejo is a guy that I would be very intrigued by if I were a Steelers fan,” Wilson said. “Go back and watch him.”
Our own Ross McCorkle was in attendance in Mobile, and he saw the impact Oladejo was able to make throughout the week as well. Here was his outlook on the defender out of UCLA.
“Olu Oladejo has a very solid frame and immediately stood out as the biggest winner of one-on-ones,” McCorkle wrote. “His movements are explosive, and his pass-rush arsenal seems to be pretty polished. He didn’t have much buzz coming into Mobile, but he certainly will walking out.”
Oladejo spent four years in college, the first two at Cal and the last two at UCLA. During his collegiate career, he played in 47 games and had 24 combined tackles, an average of just over five per game. He also had 25 tackles for a loss, six sacks, and two interceptions.
There are a few spots around the roster that the Steelers could improve, including their front seven. Oladejo projects to be a versatile player who could be useful in both 3-4 and 4-3 alignments. He’s a raw prospect who will need refining, but the tools are there. Pittsburgh could use his talent, and Mike Tomlin’s speaking to him at practice shows he might be on their radar.