By: Michael Higgins

School: LSU (Junior)

Position: EDGE

HT: 6’3

WT: 244

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #78

BJ Ojulari is a three year junior out of Georgia. He was a Top-100 4-star prospect in high school and could practically attend any university that he wanted. BJ is the younger brother of former Georgia and current New York Giants edge rusher, Azeez Ojulari. BJ Ojulari has been a mainstay on that LSU defense ever since his freshman season and has developed into not only a high-quality edge player, but an excellent leader on that defense, according to the coaching staff. BJ shows similar physical traits to his brother as he has noticeable burst and speed off the edge. He combines that speed with great burst and athleticism. Ojulari shows off those traits at the line of scrimmage where he uses a variety of pass rushing moves to always keep the linemen on their toes. He does a good job at getting consistent pressure to the quarterback and can shrink the pocket quickly.

In just about every play, even if he doesn’t hit the quarterback, he can use his speed and length to get around the line and set the edge. Quarterbacks have to be able to make quick and timely throws while also having the reactionary instincts to avoid Ojulari getting through. BJ Ojulari has a high motor on the edge and he plays through the whistle on every snap. Oftentimes, he uses better pad level than his offensive line counterpart and uses his leverage to slip right by them. Ojulari can also hold his own in coverage. He does a nice job of taking away the flats and taking good angles to the receiver to avoid any yards after the catch. Ojulari has also been seen occasionally covering tight ends in man coverage. There is a good chance that this is by design, but nonetheless, Ojulari held his own. He has withstood a lot of overhaul at LSU. From coaching changes, to player personnel changes. This may have been a difficult obstacle for Ojulari to overcome, but it solidified his versatility on the line as he was used in a multitude of different ways.

Ojulari is a great athlete, but he has modest measurables. His length is not ideal for an outside linebacker, so he has to make up for it in other areas of his game, such as athleticism. Ojulari needs to improve on his functional strength. He has the overall strength to succeed at the line of scrimmage, but he doesn’t use it functionally. Ojulari needs to improve upon his ability to use power rush moves and his ability to run defend. If he chooses to penetrate the gaps then he can often get lost in the shuffle of bodies at the line of scrimmage and taken out of the play.

BJ Ojulari is a good pass-rushing prospect that has some obvious and coachable areas for improvement. Coming into the NFL, he should be seen as a rotational outside linebacker that can work into a more full-time role.

Scheme Fit: Odd Front

Ideal Role: OLB

Best Team Fits: PIT, DET, MIA

Player Comparison: Azeez Ojulari

Player Grade: 75.2