Draft Preview: Georgia's Ojulari could be outside-the-box fit as edge rusher
Apr. 6—At first glance, Azeez Ojulari is not an ideal fit for the Indianapolis Colts.
The Georgia edge rusher is undersized at 6-foot-2 and 249 pounds, and many believe he's best suited to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defensive scheme. He also doesn't fit the preferred athletic profile general manager Chris Ballard seeks.
Relative athletic score — or RAS — is a metric that combines all of a player's measurables into an easy to understand single number from zero to 10. Ballard has not drafted an edge rusher with a RAS under 9, and Ojulari's comes in at 8.17.
However, much of that grade is based on his size. His 30-inch vertical jump also is rated as very poor, but Ojulari gets elite grades for the 40-yard dash (4.63 seconds), bench press (26 reps) and broad jump (127 inches). Those numbers suggest there's more than enough strength and speed to work with, and Ballard also is likely to be enticed by Ojulari's freakish 34 3/8-inch arms.
It's not as though RAS has been a fail proof indictor for the Colts thus far, either. Ben Banogu (9.70) was a healthy scratch for much of last season, and Kemoko Turay (9.33) has yet to put his physical gifts together on a consistent basis.
All of which means, perhaps the number won't be a death sentence to Ojulari's chances of landing in Indianapolis.
Robert Mathis, the franchise's all-time sacks leader, came into the NFL with similar question marks. At 6-2 and 245 pounds, he was seen as a better fit at linebacker, and he had the added burden of proving he could hold up against elite competition after starring at Alabama A&M.
Mathis fell to the fifth round but finished his 14-year career with 123 sacks and 54 forced fumbles. Ojulari isn't expected to last past the second round and is widely projected to go late in the first.
The 20-year-old played in both 4-3 and 3-4 sets at Georgia and is confident he can succeed in any defense at the next level.
"I just feel like my versatility and the way I can use my hands and the way I can bend (separates me in this draft class)," Ojulari told reporters at the Bulldogs' pro day last month. "I feel like I'm the most bendy and versatile and I've got the most explosive first step, and I can also drop in coverage, too. So you're just not getting a pass rusher out of me. You're getting all three downs. I can play all three downs for sure."
The biggest question at defensive end is whether Ojulari can hold up against the run. There is inconsistency on his tape, and it's one of the bigger concerns 4-3 teams will have in their evaluation process.
But there is video evidence of Ojulari winning the leverage battle against bigger offensive lineman, setting the edge and making plays in the run game. As with everything related to the draft, of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Ojulari has been working to add bulk in predraft training at EXOS in Pensacola, Florida, and he was noticeably bigger at his pro day. That's in keeping with a work ethic that has been evident throughout his college career.
His breakout came during the pandemic-stricken 2020 season when he started 10 games and recorded 8.5 sacks en route to second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors. He chose to play in the Peach Bowl rather than get an early start on draft prep — bucking a popular trend for high-end prospects — and finished his college career with one of his best games, recording three sacks, two forced fumbles and a safety in the Bulldogs' win against Cincinnati.
His grandfather — Prince Twins Seven-Seven — was a Nigerian prince who became an acclaimed artist and earned an obituary in the New York Times. And his brother, B.J., is a rising pass rushing star at LSU.
Ojulari himself tends to be on the quiet side, but he's a natural leader by example and he draws high praise from his college head coach.
"I think when you start trying to build a defense — whether you're in the NFL, college or high school — it starts with what kind of toughness do you have, OK?" Georgia coach Kirby Smart said after the school's pro day. "When you rank tough players, Azeez Ojulari is really high. He strikes. He has contact. He's never shied away. He doesn't complain when you go full pads. He wants every part of it. He's a high character player off the field.
"He's gonna be an asset in the locker room. He makes your whole team better, but he's also talented. So I'm excited to see where he goes. Somebody's gonna get a great young man in Azeez."
