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LSU’s BJ Olujari is a stand-up rush linebacker defenses covet in the 2023 NFL Draft
One of the strongest position groups in the 2023 NFL Draft is edge rusher. You’ve heard all the names at the top by now: Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr., Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson, Clemson’s Myles Murphy, and more. But what about the tier of prospects behind them? It’s a big group with a lot of talent, and one of the most interesting players of all is LSU’s BJ Ojulari.
The name might immediately ring a bell, as BJ is the younger brother of former Georgia edge rusher Azeez Ojulari, who was a second-round pick of the New York Giants back in 2021. BJ Ojulari has had a very similar trajectory, beginning his career as a top high school recruit out of the state of Georgia before playing his college football in the SEC.
Ojulari earned immediate snaps and production at LSU, playing in eight games as a true freshman and putting up an impressive 4.0 sacks and 5.0 TFL. He became a full-time starter in 2021, leading the team with 7.0 sacks in 13 games. Ojulari continued on to win All-SEC honors after a dominant but injury-shortened 2022, with 5.5 sacks and 8.5 TFL in just 11 games.
What makes BJ Ojulari such an effective pass rusher?
Right off the bat, it’s obvious that BJ Ojulari has an elite “trump card” trait: his ability to bend the edge. Ojulari is the best prospect in the class in this area, and it’s a special attribute. His balance and body control when turning the corner, combined with an explosive first step, make him extremely difficult to block. All but the best opposing tackles are forced into difficult decisions when trying to slow down Ojulari on the outside.
In addition to Ojulari’s agility and explosiveness, he’s got outstanding length for the position. His 34.25-inch arms put him in the 77th percentile among edge rushers, according to MockDraftable. Ojulari uses his length effectively to keep himself clean during the rush, and he has showed off some very effective pass rush moves. That length comes into play when setting the edge against the run, giving Ojulari a wide tackle radius and helping him neutralize blocks from tight ends.
Ojulari is also very smart player who was relied upon extensively in zone coverage, showcasing his versatility and ability to play multiple roles for a defense. I’d even argue that LSU used him too much in coverage, given his ability as a pass rusher. He was rarely out of position against the run and is a dependable contain player on the outside.
What are the weaknesses in BJ Ojulari’s game?
BJ Ojulari is an outstanding pass rusher, but his play against the run could stand to improve. He’s not overly physical and tends to win more with athleticism and positioning than strength. Ojulari has a wide tackle radius but doesn’t hit with as much power as he should, and he can struggle to get off blocks at times. I’d like to see more effort in pursuit, where Ojulari has shown to be very dangerous but tends to let off the gas too early.
There’s still room for improvement in terms of Ojulari’s pass rush repertoire and ability to make and execute a consistent pass rush plan. His explosiveness and bend frequently leaves opponents vulnerable to an inside move, and I’d like to see Ojulari develop a more consistent counter to take advantage.
BJ Ojulari results at the 2023 NFL Combine
BJ Ojulari measured in at over 6’2, 248 lbs, putting him on the small side for an NFL edge rusher. He did test out with excellent jumps, including a 10’6 broad jump (95th percentile). As Relative Athletic Score doesn’t have an “EDGE” category, I ran Ojulari at linebacker—where he tested out as an excellent overall athlete at 8.61u out of 10.
What others are saying about BJ Ojulari
Here’s how NFL Network draft analyst Lance Zierlein described Ojulari in his official scouting report:
Stand-up rush linebacker with upside as a pass rusher but inconsistent effort stopping the run. Ojulari is bendy as an edge rusher and will wreak substantially more pocket havoc once he builds a more complete rush plan. He plays contain as a run defender and has the pursuit speed to spill the run wide or make tackles in space, but needs to play with consistent effort on all run snaps. BJ Ojulari possesses all the tools necessary to start for an NFL team once he adds a bit more polish to his game.
BJ Ojulari is a high-upside pass rushing prospect with the ability to make an immediate NFL impact. He’s got some issues to clean up in the run game, but nothing that gives me significant concern. Player’s with Ojulari’s pass rush talent would frequently be taken in the late first-round range, but this year’s extremely deep group of edge rushers could see him pushed into the first half of the second round.
At that price tag, NFL teams should be very excited to add a prospect of BJ Ojulari’s caliber. As an early-career pass rush specialist who offers coverage versatility and potential three-down ability in time, Ojulari could wind up being a second-round steal.
