Finding Broncos: Azeez Ojulari | Edge | Georgia
Welcome to Finding Broncos, our annual prospect-by-prospect series deep-diving on the coming NFL draft class. This year's series opens with Georgia's intriguing edge defender Azeez Ojulari.
Measurements
- Height: 6-foot-3
- Weight: 240 pounds
Stats
Sports-Reference.com
Pros
- Extremely athletic with plenty of explosion
- Can bend the corner on offensive tackles.
- Fires off the snap and is already a yard upfield as a pass rusher
- Versatility to play in multiple fronts and in either a two or three-point stance
- Despite counter-buzz, he holds up in the run game and setting the edge
- Sustains positioning and even improves it to hold the edge and keep the run containedRelentless motor as a pass rusher and run defender and will get many wins as a result
- Will out-hustle his tackle opponent on 9-of-10 snaps
- Underrated range and athleticism to drop into coverage
- Possesses traits to be an elite hybrid in the NFL
- Has the football IQ to master complex defensive concepts, making it easy to trust as a hybrid.
- Has the frame to bulk up about 10 pounds and still be good to go athletically and with his explosion
Cons
- His lack of length is concerning but doesn't show up as a major issue often in film study
- His issues against the run are more a lack of patience than a deficit of strength
- Will shoot farther upfield and leave the lane open behind him
- Delayed handoffs are especially effective when attacking him
- Has good technique and some pass rush tools, but he is lacking with counter-moves
- When he gets stalled as a rusher, he could improve in shedding his blocker.
- A little light weight-wise though it never seemed to be an issue in college (though it could be in NFL)
- Needs to be more consistent with firing off the snap
Overview
Ojulari is the top edge rusher in the 2021 class because of how explosive he can be as well as the elite level of versatility he brings to a defense. He can work to better his consistency and use more counters to his game, but he has the tools to be a great edge right away.
Ojulari isn’t a liability in any one area of his game, which really bolsters his value. He can set the edge, get tackles for a loss, get pressure, and drop into coverage.
Fit With Broncos
Having a chess piece like Ojulari in Vic Fangio's defensive front can really create problems for opposing quarterbacks pre and post-snap. Depending on what happens with Von Miller, Ojulari could serve as a great successor as well as an immediate impact player.
Grade: Round 1
Where he Goes: Round 1 | Early Round 2
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