NFL Draft: Notre Dame Pass Rusher Justin Ademilola Ready To Take Shot At The NFL
An underrated member of a talented defensive line for the Irish, defensive end Justin Ademilola has quietly been a valuable player for the team over the last couple of years. With a sixth year of eligibility left on the table, Ademilola opted to test the NFL waters with his brother Jayson.
The opportunities in his draft process will most likely be very limited but Ademilola will still have a chance to prove his worth to evaluators. It’s time for him to come out of the shadows of other talented defenders and carve out his own path to the next level.
CAREER OVERVIEW
Ademilola developed into a stalwart on the defensive line, and a key contributor for Notre Dame during his five year career with the Irish. In total, the New Jersey native played in 49 games and started seven in his final campaign.
During the 2021 season, Ademilola put together his finest performance as a part of the program. He finished second on the team with five sacks, only trailing Isaiah Foskey. Over his career, Ademilola finished with 109 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss and nine sacks.
During his senior season at St. Peter’s Prep in New Jersey, Ademilola helped to lead the team to a 9-3 record and 2017 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Non-Public Group 4 state championship game. He was high school teammate of fellow Notre Dame signees Jayson Ademilola and Shayne Simon.
Over his final two seasons, Ademilola recorded 125 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks over his junior and senior seasons. He was named to the 2017 NJ.com First Team All-Non Public School team.
EYE IN THE SKY
Over the last couple of years, Ademilola has provided a valuable resource to the team in terms of versatility. Despite being a Vyper by trade, he has been asked to move around a lot for Notre Dame. At times, he has played the big end position, as well as playing off ball at times .
Ademilola’s best moments on film are as a pass rusher. While he doesn’t possess an abundance of impressive physical traits, Ademilola does play with outstanding nuance. He boasts strong hands with an understanding of how to best use them to create leverage.
There is a clear plan of attack as a pass rusher, showing several moves in the arsenal to create pressure. Ademilola is not just a speed rusher, he brings a bevy of counters, a double speed and club rip on film.
He also plays with outstanding effort. Ademilola’s motor is always running hot and through the whistle. This allows him to make some plays in pursuit.
A lot of NFL teams bet on traits on the edge. Unfortunately for Ademilola, that is not what he necessarily brings to the table. He is a solid all around athlete but lacks the length, explosiveness and bend to be an impact pass rusher on the next level.
Ademilola will have to make his impact as a glue player who can assume a couple of different roles for the team. That and any potential impact as a coverage player on special teams would be huge. He must search for a sticking point.
CURRENT PROJECTION
Due to lack of traits and consistent production, Ademilola is a long shot to get drafted. He will, however, get a long look in a camp. Right now, he projects as a priority free agent who will have to prove his worth in a training camp to stick.
WHAT TO PROVE
Ademilola is in a curious position. He wasn’t invited to any all-star games, which would have been a great opportunity to show out in front of NFL scouts and evaluators. Instead, he is left to tackle the training process.
It remains a long shot for him to get an invite to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine so the pro day will be his big opportunity. Ademilola is looked at as a middling athlete so if he is able to show out and surprise some scouts in attendance, that would be big for his process.
Whether he does that or not, he will still more than likely not hear his name called in April. His performance in a camp this preseason will be the ultimate opportunity for him.
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