Is Azeez Ojulari the next great pass rusher to wear the orange and blue? The Denver Broncos are in a strong position heading into the draft and have a variety of directions they can go. One of those positions is finding more help in the pass-rush department as they continue to fortify the defense.

In 2016, Von Miller was in his prime and coming off of a historic 2015 season. Miller capped off his All-Pro season by leading Denver’s “No Fly Zone” defense to a Super Bowl victory, and the game’s Most Valuable Player award.

Fast forward to 2021, Miller is on the last year of his contract and returning from a gruesome injury. General Manager George Paton himself was unsure whether to bring back Miller this season, picking up his team option at the last moment.

With Miller entering his age 32 session, Paton must address the long-term prognosis of the EDGE position. Malik Reed stepped in admirably for Miller in 2020 but remains limited and next served as a 3rd pass rusher.

The search for a young player Fangio can mold. Additionally adding a pass rusher in the 2021 NFL Draft will provide depth for the current team and provide insurance should Miller or Bradley Chubb suffer another injury. Additionally, the presence of an up-and-coming player helps Paton in contract negotiations with Miller and Chubb coming this offseason.

Azeez Ojulari – Player Profile

The 2021 Draft is a bit light in the elite pass rusher department. There are players with upside, that need a season or two before they’re ready to step in and play at a high level.

Enter Azeez Ojulari, the 20-year-old EDGE out of the University of Georgia. He checks in at 6-foot-3 and 240-pounds.

Player comparison 

Shaq Barrett or Yannick Ngakoue. Both players offer strong edge play by getting to the passer while remaining strong in the run game.

Strengths 

Ojulari shows natural pass-rushing skills. His first step is explosive. He is able to gain ground quickly and puts pressure on offensive linemen out of the gate.

Once he closes the ground, Ojulari shows nice hand effectiveness to beat his counterpart on his way to the quarterback. When a blocker is able to handle his first move, he shows great balance to hold his ground and counter. By maintaining his feet off the initial block, Ojulari gains leverage against his blocker and makes the play.

With his improved play this past season, Ojulari became the focal point of opponent game planning. However, he was able to consistently cause issues off the edge and showing an ability to adapt to what an offense does against him.

Utilizing his fantastic speed, he can pursue sideline to sideline, which bodes well for him standing up in a 3-4 scheme.

For his size, he is also a good run defender. He is able to shed blocks and hold his own on the play side. When the play goes away from him, Ojulari utilizes that aforementioned speed to cover ground quickly and make a play.

Areas of concern

Though Ojulari is put together well, he does not have the ideal size. Especially considering that Fangio wants his edge players to be larger to ensure they can hold up in the run game, Ojulari may struggle at the NFL level with larger tackles if he is unable to add more bulk.

Also, Ojulari’s speed can lead him to run himself out of a play, and the offense can take advantage of him being out of position.

When in space, his athletism does not always translate as he shows inconsistencies in awareness. This causes some concern about his ability to pick up coverage schemes as a 3-4 outside linebacker, instead of having his hand in the dirt as he did with the Bulldogs.

Lastly, there are rumors he is having knee concerns. If that is an issue, it could linger.

Verdict – MHS Big Board Top 40 – Likely selected between selection 16-32 

Overall, Ojulari is one of my favorite prospects in the draft. His speed, hand usage, and feel for pass-rushing are phenomenal. Bringing him in as a 3rd rusher his rookie season while he learns from Miller and Chubb would be ideal, and could pay dividends for this team in the long run.

Many people like me, have Ojulari as EDGE1. If other boards look like mine, look for him to go a bit earlier than most mocks may have him unless that knee is worse than we know.

Look for Ojulari to be a target if the Broncos move back in the first round via trade, as we mocked in the Orange and Brew Podcast. Adding another pass rusher like Ojulari should be in the cards for the Broncos during the 2021 NFL draft.