Oluwafemi Oladejo, UCLA: 2025 NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Oladejo was a three-star recruit from Cosumnes Oaks High School in Elk Grove, Calif. in the class of 2021
UCLA outside linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo is a developmental prospect with a high ceiling. He possesses one of the widest ranges of outcomes among prospects projected as top 70 selections in the 2025 NFL Draft. Oladejo received a third round grade, but don’t be surprised if his name is called in the top 50 picks.
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Oluwafemi Oladejo, Edge UCLA: 2025 NFL Draft Profile
Classification: Senior defensive end from Elk Grove, Calif.
Background: Oladejo was a three-star recruit from Cosumnes Oaks High School in Elk Grove, Calif. in the class of 2021. He was the No. 808 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 547 for On3.com. Oladejo was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals. He didn’t receive a star rating or grade out of 100 from ESPN. He transferred from Cal to UCLA for the 2023 season. Oladejo played defensive end and tight end in high school as a sophomore and junior before his senior season was canceled during the pandemic. As a sophomore, he made 40 tackles with four tackles for loss and caught five passes for 74 yards. Oladejo caught nine passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns and recorded 84 tackles with 14 tackles for loss, five sacks, six passes defensed, and four forced fumbles as a junior. He was born on Sept. 20, 2003.
Injuries & Off-Field: N/A
Awards: N/A
Pros: Special teams experience on the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, and field goal block units, arm length checks the box, turns heads walking off the bus, motor runs hot, quick off the line, quickly builds momentum with rapid vertical push on speed rushes, speed rush, some speed to power pushes the pocket, rip move, cross-chop, two-handed swipe, inside spin, slippery player in half-man rush, good resiliency to maintain rush trajectory through contact, bend showed up on several impressive rushes vs. Penn State (2024), attacks B-gap vs. oversetting linemen, hesitation move to freeze tackle before accelerating into B-gap, shoots some gaps in the run game, maximizes arm length to stack and peak around offensive line run blocks, channels power through hands to set hard edge, hammers pulling guards and tight ends, good range and awesome effort in pursuit, nice closing burst, threat as an unblocked backside run defender, delivers powerful tackles, experience operating at off-ball linebacker, bails and works under tight ends routes up the seam, reads the quarterback’s eyes to sink under routes
Cons: Arm length is good but not great, not a sudden or twitchy athlete, high pad level, allows linemen into his frame too easily, underdeveloped pass rush plan, total lack of counters to keep rush alive, many of his big plays are based on hustle and not rush moves, questionable power rush, offensive tackles re-anchor against his speed to counter, lacks the power to play through the frames of interior linemen, doesn’t generate much displacement with his leg drive, limited to average bend to flatten his rush angle, hip stiffness limits bend, moved off the line by linemen working vertically, spends too much time stuck on blocks, put on skates by combo blocks, struggles to quickly redirect and mirror playmakers in the open field, a little heavy-footed in space
Overview: Oladejo primarily played off-ball linebacker in his first three seasons before stepping down to play along the defensive line a few weeks into this past season. In 2024, he took snaps in a wide variety of roles, including weakside linebacker, overhang defender, 4-tech, 5-tech, wide-9, and mugged up in the A-gap. He’ll drop the off-ball reps in the NFL and play mostly 5-tech and wide-9. Oladejo’s 33 3/8-inch arms meet the league’s requirements, and his frame is well-developed for his new role despite only recently making the position change. He isn’t a sudden or twitchy athlete, but his motor runs on another level. Oladejo releases from the line quickly and rapidly builds momentum to test offensive tackles vertically. His speed rush is one of his best attacks right now, and he’s shown flashes of converting speed to power. His pass rush plan includes cross-chops, rips, spins, and two-handed swipes. Offensive tackles struggle to keep him framed in his half-man rush because he muscles through their attacks. Oladejo’s pass rush plan is developmental only. There are only a few clubs in his bag, and he lacks the hand counters to revive or finish rushes. His hand usage is underdeveloped, allowing offensive linemen into his frame too often. The California native is muscular, but his bull rush doesn’t consistently threaten anchors. This average power shows up on stunts when he’s unable to generate push against guards. Oladejo flashed some impressive bend to flatten rush angles against Penn State (2024) but failed to replicate that success against other teams. In most other games, he played with a high pad level and appeared to suffer from hip stiffness that limited his bend. Knowing he doesn’t have the tools to win around the outside every rep, Oladejo counters inside with a hesitation move or pure speed. He’s a high-volume B-gap attacker. The three-star recruit produced consistent splash plays in run defense. He fires through the B or C-gap to make plays in the backfield or maximizes his arm length to stack, peak, and shed blocks at the point of attack. Oladejo drives impressive power through his hands to stun offensive linemen and hammers pulling linemen to wreck gap runs. He still needs to work on his block deconstruction to separate in a timely manner. Oladejo lacks the mass to anchor against combo blocks. His closing burst and effort in pursuit make him a threat as a backside run defender, and he finishes tackles with heavy contact. Oladejo’s range makes him a threat to chase down ball carriers, but he’s heavy-footed in space and fails to mirror playmakers when isolated in the open field. As a linebacker, he reads the quarterback’s eyes to drop under routes but lacks the fluidity to thrive in space.
Overall, Oladejo is a raw outside linebacker who recently converted from off-ball linebacker. His performance and development throughout 2024 suggest he could reach the level of an above-average starter by the second or third year of his rookie contract. Oladejo’s performance in run defense gives him a high floor, but unlocking his ceiling falls to his future coaches.
Role & Scheme Fit: Outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme
Round Grade: Third Round
Size: 6'3 1/4", 259 lbs. (Unofficial)
Submitted: 11-15-24
Submitted: 04-08-25