Femi Oladejo isn’t the highest-rated prospect in Mobile at the 2025 Senior Bowl. Yet, he could be one of the more intriguing late-round selections we have when the draft is held April 24-26 in Green Bay.
Oladejo, like so many of his rookie-class counterparts, split his collegiate time between California and UCLA. And unlike so many of those players, he also changed positions, from middle linebacker to edge rusher.
The results were solid. With the Bruins in 2024, Oladejo racked up 4.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in 12 games, finishing a college career which included 47 games as a four-year contributor.
On Wednesday, working with the National team, Oladejo was all over the field, blowing up pockets and crashing down on running backs. At 6'2", 261 pounds and 10% body fat, the UCLA product feels his frame—along with his background at multiple positions—gives him an advantage.
“I definitely have a unique body,” Oladejo says. “Very long, lengthy, but lean. … I played MIKE linebacker my first three years, so I have the mindset of a MIKE ’backer. I know what’s going on around me. Now I’m an edge, and I can use my power, my speed, my explosiveness.”
For teams looking to bolster their front seven, Oladejo presents a unique opportunity considering he can play either inside or on the edge. However, his versatility has scouts questioning his best fit, something that could cause some evaluators to pause when considering where he should wind up.
In the meantime, Oladejo is working as an edge in Mobile and has looked natural. The body type works and the athleticism is evident. He explodes off the line and rips through tackles with a few different moves including impressive power.
“Setting up the tackles,” says Oladejo of his pass-rush plan. “Looking at what sets they give you. Just studying who they are and what they get beat with the most.”
Oladejo says his biggest influence at the pro level is Jonathan Greenard, who earned Pro Bowl honors this season with the Minnesota Vikings by recording 12 sacks.
Greenard, initially drafted by the Houston Texans, spent four years in Houston before cashing in with Minnesota on a four-year deal for $76 million last offseason. Perhaps not coincidentally, Greenard is almost identical in size to Oladejo at 6'3" and 259 pounds.
If Oladejo becomes anything similar to Greenard, he’ll be one heck of a steal for someone in April.
Running backs are suddenly in demand, and there are a few to watch out for
This season has been the resurgence of the running back in the NFL.
Look around the league, and the best teams are relying heavily on a position group that only a year ago was largely seen as an annoying necessity to fill out a roster, but certainly not worthy of investment.
Case in point? Saquon Barkley was given a three-year, $37 million contract by the Philadelphia Eagles this season before rushing for more than 2,000 yards. That same week, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed receiver Gabe Davis for $39 million over three years. Davis did not produce 2,000 yards. Or 1,000 yards. Or … 240 yards.
But it’s not just Barkley. The Baltimore Ravens rode the legs of Derrick Henry to another division title. The Kansas City Chiefs’ leader in total yards? Kareem Hunt with more than 1,000. The Detroit Lions have their Sonic and Knuckles tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. The Buffalo Bills? James Cook, Ray Davis and Ty Johnson. The list goes on.
So in Mobile, the search has been ongoing for a few backs worth investing a pick, and a few have stood out.
LeQuint Allen Jr. of Syracuse has shown a few skills. Checking in at 6'0" and 207 pounds, Allen made some nice catches during one-on-one drills Wednesday, beating linebackers in space. On one play, Allen leaped for a ball along the sideline in tight coverage and made a terrific reception, keeping both feet in bounds.
With the Orange, Allen was a dual-threat. Over his past two campaigns, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark while tallying an ACC-best 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024. He also caught 102 passes for 731 yards and five scores, showcasing a versatility that will make him popular among scouts and general managers over the coming months.
If you’re looking for a quarterback, you may want to look elsewhere
With all due respect to all the signal-callers here this week, this class pales in comparison to the group from a year ago, which included Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr.
Of them all, the biggest name is Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, but his first two days of practice have been shaky at best. On both days, Milroe has consistently been inaccurate and often late on his throws, taking what would be sacks if there were live periods.
With Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders firmly toward the top of the draft and the two best quarterbacks of this class in the mind of many evaluators, Milroe and others have a chance to establish themselves as the head of the next tier. That has yet to happen.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2025 Senior Bowl, Day 2: Don’t Sleep on Femi Oladejo.
