Tennessee Titans draft Oluwafemi Oladejo: 5 things to know about the edge rusher
The Tennessee Titans traded their original second-round pick (No. 35) to the Seattle Seahawks for two picks (No. 52 and No. 82) in the 2025 NFL draft.
With the first of those two picks, the Titans selected UCLA edge rusher Oluwafemi Oladejo at No. 52.
The Titans have a ton of needs and could have gone in any direction with this pick, but they decided to take an edge to help boost their pass rush.
Three-star college recruit
A former three-star recruit from Cosumnes Oaks High School, he was accomplished on both sides of the ball before settling in as an inside linebacker at Cal. He flashed the athleticism that allowed him to transition to edge after transferring to UCLA.
Culture
He carries his heritage with him all the time, with both of his parents being born in Nigeria. His name Oluwafemi means "God loves me" in their native Yoruba language.
Outstanding Senior Bowl week
After an outstanding season, Oladejo flashed at the Senior Bowl as one of the more consistent and disruptive edge players on hand. This performance was huge in his evaluation and showcased his upside in his rapid development from inside linebacker to edge.
Experienced yet inexperienced
Although he has shown tremendous upside as an edge, he is raw and relatively inexperienced at the position. Though he has played in 27 games and racked up 238 tackles and 6.0 sacks during his college career, split between Cal and UCLA, the majority of them were at inside linebacker. He has only 10 starts on the edge.
Dedicated on and off the field
He transitioned to edge at UCLA and broke out with 13.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in 2024 en route to being named the Kenny Clark Award as UCLA's top defensive lineman. He also excelled in the classroom, where he earned spots on both the Big Ten Academic Honor Roll and UCLA Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
9 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
USC-Notre Dame rivalry expires in '26, with no sure bet it will go beyond that
LAS VEGAS — All the reshuffling of schedules, conferences and playoff formats in college football has placed one of the sport's best traditions in peril: the USC-Notre Dame game. The contract for a rivalry that dates to 1926 expires after their game in 2026. Both schools have expressed a willingness to lock down more games, but differences over how many appear to be holding up the negotiations. USC's move to the Big Ten gave the Trojans less flexibility on their non-conference schedule. Big Ten teams have nine conference games and only three open slots. Speaking at Big Ten media days Thursday, Trojans coach Lincoln Riley said he was, of course, hopeful that the series will continue. But not at any cost. 'I want to play the game. Absolutely. It's one of the reasons I came here,' Riley said. 'But, also, my allegiance and my loyalty is not to Notre Dame, and it's not to anybody else. I'm the head football coach at USC, and I'm going to back USC.' Some of the uncertainty revolves around the College Football Playoff. The Trojans have lost six of the last seven against Notre Dame. If CFP leaders decide to award four automatic bids to the Big Ten, which is the conference's preference, a long-term deal to play the Irish might be more palatable to USC. A system with more at-large bids, however, would make it more difficult, from a CFP standpoint, to absorb a non-conference loss. An (entertaining and much better) encore for UCLA's Foster If UCLA improves on the field as much as coach DeShaun Foster did behind the mic at Big Ten media days, this could be a good year for the Bruins. Foster spoke Thursday and made fun of his 2024 appearance, which included a cringeworthy 72-second opening statement highlighted by this observation about the program he was taking over: 'I'm sure you guys don't know much about UCLA, our football program, but we're in LA.' In heading to the lectern Thursday, Foster didn't shy from that moment. He acknowledged he took some ribbing from players and others after last year's effort. 'Last year I stood up here and reminded everyone that UCLA is in L.A.., which, looking back, might have been the most obvious geography lesson in Big Ten history,' Foster said. 'But you know what? Important things are worth stating clearly. We are in L.A., and we're proud to be in L.A.' Underneath all those laughs, though, was a serious message. Foster, embarking on his second season at Westwood, said the moment 'taught me a valuable lesson. Authenticity resonates more deeply than perfection.' He faces a big challenge. The Bruins haven't won a conference title since 1998 and haven't played on Jan. 1 since that season's Rose Bowl. Bolstering UCLA's hopes is the arrival of quarterback Nico Iamaleava from Tennessee. Iamaleava helped the Vols make the College Football Playoff last year. Northwestern video vibes Preston Stone is a good ol' Texas boy who starred in high school for Parish Episcopal and then spent four years at SMU. After entering the transfer portal following last season, however, he finally got to visit a team he once admired from afar — behind a video-game controller when he was 11 years old. 'For absolutely no reason whatsoever, when I was a little kid playing NCAA 14, I would always be Northwestern,' Stone said. 'They had really cool black uniforms and they had a fast quarterback in Kain Colter, who I used to love playing with in the game.' So, after touring the campus and meeting Wildcats coach David Braun and offensive coordinator Zach Lujan, Stone was sold on transferring from the Lone Star State to Evanston, Illinois. 'Facilities are incredible, I think we have the best indoor in the whole country,' Stone said. 'You could feel a level of sincerity from coach Braun. That was just different. And first meeting coach Lujan, you could tell from the first couple minutes with him, how incredibly smart of an offensive mind he is. I knew that if I came here they were going to set me up for success.' Son of 'Chocolate Thunder' returns to Penn State Penn State's Nick Dawkins, the son of NBA legend Daryl Dawkins, will be one of four returning starters on the offensive line this season. That might not have been the case had the Nittany Lions not lost to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff. 'After that game specifically, I was pretty dead set after that for sure,' Dawkins said of his decision to return. 'I had some thoughts prior to the season ending, from a personal standpoint for my NFL Draft stock, if it would be the best decision to come back. But when something like that happens, it kind of trumps all the individual stuff. Dawkins said it became more about the legacy of Penn State football and what he wanted to leave behind for the program's history. 'My whole life, I've been representing my last name, and my last name has had so much legacy and worth attached to it before,' said Dawkins, an all-Big Ten honorable mention last season. 'I've always been a part of something bigger than myself, and that's how I view my life, and Penn State falls right into that category.'
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
DeShaun Foster press conference: UCLA football coach ready for second year at helm
UCLA football coach DeShaun Foster took center stage Thursday on the final day of Big Ten Media Days. The second-year head coach was looking forward to a better result on the podium. Foster made his Big Ten Media Days debut last year, but the moment did not go over well. He came across as nervous. With a full season at the helm, Foster came across as well prepared and embraced how his performance at last year's event turned into a lesson. The coach used part of his time during his opening remarks joking about his media day mishap the year prior and how it worked to the team's benefit. 'That moment taught me a valuable lesson,' Foster said. 'Authenticity resonates more deeply than perfection. Our players saw me being human and it brought us closer together.' Foster and the team have spent the past year joking about the moment on stage. When the coach took to the field at the Wasserman Football Center for training camp, he was wearing a shirt that read "We're in LA" — a phrase he had said at 2024's Media Days — and had a UCLA helmet logo that pinpointed Los Angeles in an outline of the state of California. 'Last year, I stood up here and reminded everyone that UCLA is in L.A., which, looking back, might have been the most obvious geography lesson in Big Ten history,' Foster said. 'But we are in L.A. and we're proud to be in L.A. 'And this year we are ready to show the Big Ten what L.A. football looks like when it's firing on all cylinders.' Foster shuffled his coaching staff but the program is aiming to keep up its momentum in recruiting and bringing in talent via the transfer portal. The Bruins brought in 31 transfers, including 14 who had played high school football in the state of California, including quarterback Nico Iamaleava and his brother Madden. The 31 transfers is the 10th-most in the FBS. Reshaping UCLA's culture Foster used his first season to help reshape the UCLA football program into the way he wanted it — and remembered it. Foster was elevated into the head coach role following Chip Kelly's departure from Westwood to become Ohio State's offensive coordinator. The former All-American played for the Bruins from 1998 to 2001 and had two stints as an assistant at UCLA. Foster spent seven years as the Bruins' running backs coach, originally hired by Jim Mora, before taking on the head coaching role in 2024. With training camp starting next week, Foster is taking the Bruins off-campus to train for the upcoming season in Costa Mesa, California. With Kelly at the helm, UCLA held training camp at the football center on campus. Mora used to take the team to San Bernardino for training camp. UCLA will use the team's time off-site to switch the turf practice fields at the Wasserman Football Center to natural grass, which is what the Bruins play on at the Rose Bowl. Why did Nico Iamaleava transfer to UCLA? Former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava spoke to reporters for the first time since announcing his decision to commit to UCLA on April 20. 'I would say that my decision to leave (Tennessee) was extremely hard and one of the toughest decisions I had to make, but family was the biggest thing to me. A lot think about financial stuff, but it was never that. It was about being close to home with my family and playing at the highest level with my family's support. With our Samoan culture, we are always together and that was a very important thing to me.' Iamaleava played football at Warren High School in Downey, California, before spending the past two seasons with the Tennessee Volunteers. He's expected to be the Bruins' starting quarterback. Iamaleava's brother, Madden, also transferred to UCLA after spending spring camp with the Arkansas Razorbacks. Madden Iamaleava had originally committed to UCLA in June 2024, but it was announced that he signed with the Razorbacks the day after the signing period started. Madden led Warren to an 11-2 record in games he started and an appearance in the CIF-SS Division 3 semifinals in 2023, his first year as a full-time starter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DeShaun Foster press conference: UCLA football coach ready for Year 2
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tennessee Titans training camp: 9 takeaways from Day 2
The Tennessee Titans took to the practice field on Day 2 of their 2025 training camp on Thursday. It was a beautiful summer morning in Nashville, and the team was able to accomplish quite a bit under the bright Tennessee sun. Here are nine takeaways from the morning's action. New-look edge philosophy explained Head coach Brian Callahan met with the media before practice and hit on a few topics, including the arrival of recently signed edge Jihad Ward. Ward fits the big-bodied profile of what the Titans desire as they transform the unit. Callahan went on to say that the team will be relying on a more coordinated attack that focuses on collapsing the pocket and leaning more on strength to get to the QB and take him down. The Titans struggled to get the quarterback to the ground in 2024, and feel that this approach will help them turn pressure into sacks this season. Grading on a scale Callahan also discussed why the team grades every throw made by the quarterbacks during practice. 'That essentially makes you aware of where you are placing the ball, and location is such a critical part of successful quarterback play,' Callahan said. 'Making you aware of where your bad throws are, where your good throws are, and you get a chance to look at why. Why was that throw maybe off target?' This could be a very informative exercise for both the quarterbacks and receivers during film work, and it should be a benefit for Cam Ward moving forward. Kevin Winston makes an impact When the Titans selected Winston in the draft, they knew he was recovering from an ACL, and would have to work him in slowly. Now that he is cleared for football action, Winston is not only practicing, he is making plays. If Winston can stay healthy and continue to pick up the defense, he will earn playing time early in his career. Cam Ward turns the page One thing that has become noticeable is how Ward turns the page after mistakes. Known to be a hard worker, he goes beyond the basics by discussing specific plays with defenders after practice to interpret what they were seeing so he can correct deficiencies. Starting linebacker Cody Barton singled out Ward for his approach and how he is focused on learning and gaining every advantage as he develops in the NFL. This is something rookie wide receiver Chimere Dike pointed out as well when he spoke after practice. Ayomanor gaining traction When the Titans selected Elic Ayomanor in the fourth round, many believed it was a steal. After two days of practice, Ayomanor is proving that to be the case. The young receiver is off to a hot start during training camp and is definitely in the mix to see significant playing time early in the season. Callahan mentioned Ayomanor and Chimere Dike and how they have shown their versatility early on. It will be critical for the Titans offense for the two young receivers to continue to grow as camp progresses. Defense wins the day After practice, many of the players from the offense talked about being sloppy and their uneven performance during practice. But, as wide receiver Chimere Dike pointed out, the defense played well. It was a sentiment shared by multiple media members covering the team, as the defense set the tone for the day and made things uncomfortable for the quarterbacks from start to finish. Of course, these early practices are without pads, which does give the defense a bit of an advantage. But it's still a good sign for a team that struggled to get to the quarterback in 2024. Early on, Barton looked the part The Titans rebuilt their linebacking corps around free agent acquisition Cody Barton during the offseason, and the veteran linebacker is making that decision look like a great one, as not only does he show tremendous leadership, his athleticism is coming up big and making plays. Here he is picking off Ward. Front office staying busy After making a handful of moves and adding three players to the roster after the first training camp practice on Wednesday, Mike Borgonzi and his staff stayed busy on Thursday, scheduling a workout with UFL defensive back Keni-H Lovely With L'Jarius Sneed still on the PUP list and unable to practice, Lovely could come in and compete. Playing for the Michigan Panthers, Lovely recorded 26 tackles, a pick-six, and four pass break-ups on the season. This would be his third workout as he makes his way across the NFL. Health update The Titans have remained relatively healthy through the first two days of practice, which is a huge win for the franchise. While L'Jarius Sneed and Lloyd Cushenberry remain on the sidelines working their way back from injury, there were no new names added to the list. At this stage of training camp, an injury could be devastating to a young team. Early parts of training camp are known for soft tissue injuries, but so far, none of those ailments have occurred. That could all change on Saturday, when the Titans make an appearance at Nissan Stadium and put pads on for the first time in 2025. This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans training camp: 9 takeaways from Day 2
