Oluwafemi Oladejo, the hard-hitting linebacker out of UCLA football, was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the 52nd overall pick in the second round of the NFL Draft on Friday night.
The 6-foot-3 Bruins’ call-up follows in quick succession after linebacker colleague Carson Schwesinger was snapped up by the Cleveland Browns with the 33rd overall pick and first pick of the second round earlier Friday evening, marking a banner night for the Bruins’ defensive core.
[Related: Cleveland Browns select UCLA football’s Carson Schwesinger with 33rd overall pick]
Together, Oladejo and Schwesinger patrolled one of the most punishing linebacker units in college football last season, holding opponents to just 96.2 rushing yards per game for the sixth-stingiest mark in the nation. However, Oladejo was drafted as an edge rusher, the role he moved to two games into the 2024 season.
Oladejo offers a rare combination of size, speed and instincts – weighing in at 250 pounds – and instincts that make him one of the more intriguing defensive prospects in this year’s class. A key piece of UCLA’s front seven, Oladejo finished his final collegiate season with 57 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks – a production that matched the physical dominance he showed on tape.
After spending his first two college seasons at California – where he quickly earned playing time and a starting nod as a freshman – Oladejo transferred to UCLA after the 2022 season and elevated his game, racking up three stops in eight of the 13 games he appeared in.
His impact also extended beyond the box score, though, setting the tone for the Bruin defense with his vocal leadership and relentless sideline-to-sideline pursuit.
Oladejo’s athletic profile was touted leading up to the draft. With an athleticism score that ranked 18th among all edge rushers, he posted a 10-foot broad jump and 36.5-inch vertical at the Combine, highlighting the explosiveness he routinely flashed on the field.
Where Oladejo truly separates himself is his football IQ. Hailed for pinpointing plays quickly and communicating adjustments, Oladejo projects as a player who can eventually take on defensive signal-calling duties at the next level.
The Bruins’ defensive mainstay has a knack for disengaging from blocks and finishing tackles with authority, but the mental side of his game will likely drive his success in the league.
While scouts pointed to Oladejo’s need for more polish in pass coverage – particularly when matched against quicker NFL tight ends and running backs – Oladejo’s athletic profile suggest that such development is within reach.
He has the foot speed to stay in phase with most opponents and flashes good awareness when reading routes underneath. Combined with his proven tackling ability and physicality against the run, Oladejo projects as an edge that can stay on the field for all three downs once he fine-tunes his technique in zone and man coverage.
Oladejo’s path to the most premier football stage was molded long before he suited up on the gridiron.
After spending more than a decade apart from his hometown following his emigration from Nigeria, Oladejo learned early how to channel distance into determination – the very force that is stitched into his playstyle.
