Adepoju Adebawore DL/EDGE Oklahoma | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Adepoju Adebawore DL/EDGE Oklahoma
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
SUB-POSITION: EDGE RUSHER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Updated: 06/14/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
40 time: 4.74 seconds (85%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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SUB-POSITION: EDGE RUSHER | |
Last Updated: 06/14/2025 | |
Draft Year: 2026 | |
40 time: 4.74 seconds (85%*) | |
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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Overall Rating: | 83.5 / 100 | |
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Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
Offense Rating: |
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80% |
Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
Tackling: |
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74% |
Pass Rush: |
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67% |
Run Defense: |
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61% |
DRAFT PROJECTION:
4th
Overall Rank:
#114
Position rank:
#24
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College Games: 23 College Snaps: 303 | ||
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Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
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Dominique Robinson - Miami (OH) |
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89% |
Habakkuk Baldonado - Pittsburgh |
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84% |
Dylan Horton - TCU |
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81% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Growing up in Kansas City with Nigerian roots, Adepoju Adebawore carved his path to elite college football through an unconventional route that began on basketball courts rather than football fields. The younger brother of Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore discovered his football calling after watching his sibling's success translate from Northwestern to the NFL. What followed was a meteoric rise through North Kansas City High School that captured national attention and earned him consensus five-star status across all major recruiting services, with 247Sports ranking him as the ninth-best player in the entire 2023 recruiting class.Adebawore's transition from hardwood to gridiron proved seamless as he dominated Missouri high school competition, registering 51 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks as a junior while earning Missouri Football Coaches Association Class 5 First-Team All-State honors. His rare combination of length, athleticism, and raw power made him the most coveted edge prospect in his home state, ultimately choosing Oklahoma over powerhouse programs like Arkansas, Missouri, and Northwestern. The Under Armour All-American arrived in Norman in January 2023 as the crown jewel of the Sooners' recruiting class, carrying expectations befitting a player ranked among the top edge rushers nationally by every major scouting service.
His Oklahoma career began with immediate impact despite the typical freshman learning curve, appearing in all 13 games during his 2023 debut season and collecting six tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries, and one pass breakup. After showing flashes of his explosive potential with a standout performance against Tulsa that featured three tackles for loss and a sack, Adebawore dedicated his sophomore offseason to adding crucial mass to his frame, working closely with OU's nutrition staff to bulk up from 225 to approximately 260 pounds while maintaining his signature burst off the edge. His limited 2024 campaign (119 snaps) saw action in 10 games with four tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and one sack, highlighted by a three-tackle, one-sack performance against South Carolina that demonstrated his continued development within Brent Venables' defensive system.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Exceptional athletic profile combines rare length with explosive burst, featuring a seven-foot wingspan and 4.74 forty-yard dash speed that creates mismatches against most offensive tackles.
- Advanced change-of-direction ability allows him to redirect pursuit angles seamlessly, making him equally dangerous rushing the passer or tracking down ball carriers in space.
- Relentless motor keeps him engaged throughout every snap, consistently showing the hustle and determination that turns potential sacks into actual takedowns when blockers lose focus.
- Natural bend around the edge showcases impressive flexibility for his size, enabling him to turn the corner on outside rush moves while maintaining leverage against tackles.
- Strong football instincts help him recognize blocking schemes quickly, allowing him to identify when to attack gaps versus when to maintain rush lane integrity.
- Impressive hand usage keeps him free from blockers, demonstrating active hands that constantly work to shed contact and create separation during pass rush sequences.
- Versatile alignment capability lets him line up in either two-point or three-point stances effectively, providing defensive coordinators with multiple deployment options across different packages.
- Elite bloodlines and family football pedigree suggest strong understanding of professional preparation and development, following his brother's successful NFL pathway from college to the league.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Limited college production raises questions about his ability to consistently win battles against SEC-level competition, with just 2.5 career sacks through two seasons.
- Needs continued strength development to handle power rushing situations, as his recent weight gain to 260 pounds indicates recognition of this deficiency against stronger blockers.
- Pass rush technique remains somewhat raw despite his athletic gifts, requiring refinement of hand placement and timing to maximize his natural advantages against NFL-caliber tackles.
- Run defense consistency needs improvement, as his pursuit angles sometimes take him out of position when flowing to the ball carrier too aggressively.
- Limited snap count exposure means he hasn't faced the full workload demands of a featured pass rusher, raising durability questions for expanded NFL responsibilities.
Scouting Report: Summary
Adebawore's NFL future hinges on whether his athletic gifts can overcome the technical deficiencies that have limited his college impact. His remarkable burst and flexibility give him the tools to trouble NFL tackles, but his inconsistent hand placement and tendency to rush out of control have prevented him from maximizing those advantages. The recent weight gain addresses one concern about his ability to anchor against power, yet it remains to be seen whether he can maintain his explosiveness while adding the functional strength needed to compete with seasoned professionals. With just 119 snaps in 2024, his limited exposure raises serious questions about his readiness for professional evaluation, making the 2025 season a crucial audition for his draft stock.His tackling instincts and pursuit angles show promise for early down contributions, though his run defense remains inconsistent when blockers successfully engage him at the point of attack. The versatility to align in multiple fronts provides value in today's NFL, where defensive coordinators prize flexibility, but Adebawore's limited pass rush repertoire means he'll need significant development time to become more than a situational rusher. His motor and work ethic suggest coachability, though translating that into refined technique will determine whether he reaches his considerable ceiling or becomes another athlete who couldn't master the craft.
The pro bloodlines and high-character background create optimism about his development trajectory, while his late start in football means there's untapped potential waiting to be unlocked with proper coaching. However, his modest college production against inferior competition raises legitimate questions about his readiness for the next level, and his minimal snap count through two seasons suggests he hasn't proven capable of handling expanded responsibilities. Adebawore must significantly increase his playing time and production in 2025 to be considered a legitimate NFL prospect, as teams won't invest draft capital in a player who couldn't earn consistent snaps in college. The organization that eventually selects him must be prepared for a lengthy development process with no guarantee of the outcome, understanding that his pro evaluation remains incomplete due to his limited college exposure.
How other scouting services rate Adepoju Adebawore (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
87.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
20.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.