KCSN Draft Guide Sneak Peek: DL Adetomiwa Adebawore
A hometown kid shined on the biggest stage in the pre-draft process.
The NFL Combine is a big mile marker in the journey to the Draft. It’s come and gone, and provided is with a better, more educated perspective on the overall athletic profile of the prospects that make up the 2023 Draft Class.
One of the stars of the weekend was a kid that hails from North Kansas City — Northwestern defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore.
Adebawore has had a fantastic pre-draft process. He’s a rare physical specimen and proved so in Indianapolis.
Here’s a sneak peek of the 2023 KCSN Draft Guide write-up on him, which you’ll be able to see when the book releases April 5th. You can get 225+ write-ups like this, Super Bowl special features, three months of KCSN’s Premium Substack content (including access to our Discord), and more when you pre-order for only $12.99!
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DL Adetomiwa Adebawore — Northwestern
6’2 — 282
Kansas City, MO — March 4, 2001 (22)
Grade (round): 2nd
2022 Stats: 38 TKL, 9.0 TFL, 5.0 SACKS, 2 FF
Background:
A former three star recruit from North Kansas City High School, Adebawore committed to continue his football career at Northwestern. He played sparingly during his freshman season before becoming a full-time starter in his sophomore year. He helped Northwestern get to the Big Ten title game that year, eventually losing to Ohio State.
As a junior, he was named honorable mention All-Big Ten. That offseason, he put on 15 pounds, which propelled him to the best season of his collegiate career, making Third Team All-Big Ten. Participated in the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Strengths:
Adebawore played all across the line during his time at Northwestern. His versatility to stop the run and rush the passer from different positions on the defensive line is a positive as he transitions into the NFL. He uses his natural leverage to his advantage. He gets his hands into the offensive lineman’s chest and then drives them back in the pocket.
Adebawore has extremely long arms for someone of his stature and uses them to his advantage to hold off blockers from coming into his frame. His hand work helps him affect the passer, but more importantly, be a stout run defender. He is able to anchor and not get pushed around even though the linemen he is facing have the size advantage.
Adebawore uses his athletic profile combined with his smaller frame to move laterally, as well as shed blocks. The explosion he possesses is very unique. He has a little quirk where he bounces his foot before the ball is snapped, almost like he’s revving a car engine. When that explosion is put together with excellent pad level, he is a wrecking ball that’s difficult to stop.
Weaknesses:
Adebawore’s lack of height and weight is going to be tough for some teams to overlook for a player that plays in the middle of the defense. The question will be how his frame holds up against bigger guards when his pad level and technique aren’t perfect. Also, what his response and counters are to getting doubled.
There were times when Adebawore’s presence wasn’t as apparent. For stretches of games, when rushing the passer, he would get stuck on the line of scrimmage and not able to get off a block to make a play.
How he fits with the Chiefs:
The first thing most teams will point to is Adebawore doesn’t fit the traditional profile of an interior defensive lineman but does have the speed or bend to play on the edge. In Kansas City, him being a “tweener” and having that versatility is welcomed.
Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo loves to put his defensive front in different alignments to find matchups he likes against the opposing offensive line. Having Adebawore be able to kick outside on run downs and back inside on pass downs would be a benefit for his hometown team.
Player comp: Ed Oliver
Team Fit: Medium
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