2023 NFL Draft: Could Adetomiwa Adebawore Be a Sleeper Option for the Jaguars?

After a stellar performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, should Northwestern's Adetomiwa Adebawore be considered an option at No. 24 overall?

The 2023 NFL Draft season is upon us.

Among the 32 teams building their rosters to compete for the next Lombardi Trophy is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who hold nine picks in this season’s draft -- including the No. 24 overall pick.

As we march closer and closer to April’s draft, we will look at individual draft prospects and how they would potentially fit with the Jaguars. Instead of looking at any negatives, we are going to look at what the players do well and if they could match what the Jaguars need at the specific role or position.

Next up: Northwestern defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore. 

Overview

A Kansas City native, Adetomiwa Adebawore was ranked by 247Sports as a three-star recruit in the 2019 class. Adebawore was ranked the No. 27 overall recruit in Missouri, the No. 75 strong side defensive end, and the No. 1,151 overall player in the nation. 

Adebawore received 15 offers out of high school, ultimately picking Northwestern over programs such as Air Force, Army, Colgate, Cornell, Navy, North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Princeton, South Dakota State, Toledo, Tulane, Washington State, and Yale. 

Adebawore appeared in eight games as a true freshman, recording two tackles and a sack in reserve duty. He saw his role increase in 2020, recording multiple starts and registering 17 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, and two pass deflections.

2021 saw Adebawore's production increase as he led the Wildcats with 4.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for a loss in 12 starts, leading to an All-Big Ten honorable mention

Adebawore's senior season saw him finish Third Team All-Big Ten as he set career-highs with five sacks, nine tackles for loss, and 38 total tackles. Adebawore then earned an invitation to the Reese's Senior Bowl and had a standout performance at the NFL Scouting Combine.

What Adetomiwa Adebawore Does Well

For some players, combine testing numbers don't match what they show on the field. This couldn't be further from the truth for Adebawore, however, who showed time and time again on the field that he is a special type of athlete. Adetomiwa moves with terrific explosion in every facet, showing a terrific get-off and an explosive and powerful punch and jolt on contact, both against the run and the pass. Adebawore's pure acceleration and momentum off the snap at his size proves to be an issue for slower guards or weaker tackles.

Against the run, Adebawore has shown the ability to make plays both on the edge and inside. He is a force as a strong side defensive end, proving to be too powerful for tight ends thanks to his ability to use his length to quickly make first contact and reset the line of scrimmage. When lined up inside, Adebawore's first step and agility allow him to easily cross the face of interior blockers, allowing him to get skinny through gaps and make plays in the backfield.

It is this type of athleticism that gives Adebawore immediate value as a pass-rusher in terms or running stunts and games up front. He moves with great fluidity for his size, quickly taking advantage of small slivers of space in between blockers to create disruption. 

As a pass-rusher, Adebawore shows off a few different tools. He displays a terrific long-arm move when lined up on the edge, making up for his lack of elite hip bend by creating natural separation between him and the blocker. When inside, he shows a snatch/sling move and has glimpses of advanced hand-fighting on contact, though this is still not yet a consistent and complete part of his game. 

How Adetomiwa Adebawore Would Fit With the Jaguars

While Adebawore is a tweener in every sense of the word, that doesn't mean he doesn't have a fit with the Jaguars. They have a defense that seems to be made to help tweeners thrive, and it is clear that Adebawore would be able to carve out a niche role in the Jaguars' defense, even early on. 

Adebawore played both on the edge and inside for Northwestern, though his physical traits do suggest he may ultimately be best inside. He did his best work as a pass-rusher and pure penetrator inside but still offers a high floor as a run defender on the edge, primarily as a strong side defensive end in a four-man front. 

In a lot of ways, this sounds like Arden Key. Adebawore is more of a pure interior player who offers edge versatility, while Key was a pure edge rusher who offered interior versatility. They are different players with different skill sets, but Adebawore could still in many ways fill the void that Key left with the Jaguars as an inside/outside pass-rusher.

Verdict

The Jaguars need athletes up front and there few athletes like Adebawore in this draft class. He doesn't have great overall career production and is a bit of a project in terms of becoming a high-volume pass-rusher, but he does have the traits to play multiple roles up front in a versatile scheme like the Jaguars' defense. Plus, he has plenty of upside as an interior pass-rusher, which could help him serve as a direct replacement for Arden Key.

The question is whether Adebawore is worth a first-round pick. The tape suggests he would be a reach at No. 24, but he has the upside to merit serious consideration at No. 56 if he slides that far. With his type of athleticism, though, it may be far-fetched to think he is passed on 55 times in this class.

For all of our 2023 NFL Draft profiles, click below.

• CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia
• CB/S Brian Branch, Alabama
• TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
• CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
• S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
• TE Darnell Washington, Georgia
• DL Bryan Bresee, Clemson
• CB Clark Phillips, Utah
• CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
• OG O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida
• CB Deonte Banks, Maryland
• EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa