Tag: B.J. Ojulari

2023 NFL mock draft: What Matt Anderson would do

Leading up to the draft, the staff at Vikings Wire is releasing a mock draft based on what they would do. First up is @MattAnderson_8.

The NFL Draft is less than a week away. At Vikings Wire, we have created mock drafts to examine various scenarios throughout this offseason. It is now our turn to present our thoughts on what every NFL team should do if we were the general manager.

Let’s review how everything played out.

2023 two-round NFL mock draft: Matt Anderson’s 5.0

With just eight days remaining until the NFL Draft, @MattAnderson_8 releases a two-round mock draft with defense going early and often.

The NFL Draft is in a mere eight days, and many mock drafts have been circulating this offseason. Teams are now finalizing their draft boards and strategizing for the upcoming April NFL Draft. As the anticipation builds, let’s take a closer look at some potential top picks in this year’s draft and the teams that may show interest in them.

LSU pass rusher BJ Ojulari visits Seahawks on Tuesday

Ahead of the 2023 NFL draft, LSU pass rusher BJ Ojulari visited the Seattle Seahawks.

The Seattle Seahawks are inching closer to the 2023 NFL draft and still working hard to fit in every visit possible before the start of the big event.

On Tuesday, LSU pass rusher BJ Ojulari visited the Seahawks, per KCPR2’s Aaron Wilson. According to his sources, Ojulari has also had visits with the Texans, Jets, Buccaneers, Panthers and Eagles.

Ojulari, who stands at 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, declared early for the NFL draft. His brother, defensive end Azeez Ojulari, currently plays for the Giants.

“It has definitely helped me to fit into different schemes,” Ojulari said via Wilson. “Every team has said they can see me as a stand-up type of guy, but I also can get down and rush the passer. I really was able to showcase that versatility and I think it has made me more of a flexible player.”

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Tampa Bay to bring in LSU DE for visit ahead of draft

The Bucs are bringing in LSU’s B.J. Ojulari for a visit.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers appear to be doing their due diligence on the EDGE position for their recent stretch of pre-draft visits.

The NFL’s Ian Rapaport reported on Monday that the team is expected to bring in LSU DE B.J. Ojulari for a pre-draft visit. Ojulari’s visit will come after the Bucs host Iowa’ Lukas Van Ness.

Ojulari is the ninth-highest-rated EDGE in The Draft Network’s prospect list and is estimated to be a fourth-round value by their metrics. Their scouting report notes that Ojulari is naturally athletic and has good upside in the pass rush game, but he’s a tad undersized at 6’3″, 244 lbs and that he might not be as strong as other prospects. GM Jason Licht has a history of drafting LSU players, though, so Ojulari could be another that catches his eye in the draft process.

Ojulari is set to visit and NFC South rival in the Panthers before he visits Tampa Bay.

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Giants land BJ Ojulari in 3-round Touchdown Wire mock draft

In the latest three-round mock draft from Touchdown Wire, the New York Giants land a WR, BJ Ojulari and a surprise pick in Round 3.

It’s NFL mock draft season, so get ready for the onslaught over the next three weeks.

In his latest three-round mock, Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar predicts a wild time in Kansas City later this month with surprises and trades galore.

As for the New York Giants, Farrar has Big Blue basically sticking to the script, staying in their lane, and taking the best players that fall to them instead of filling some more pressing needs.

Round 1, Pick 25: Zay Flowers, wide receiver, Boston College

The Giants got receiver Parris Campbell via free agency and tight end Darren Waller vis trade this offseason, which is good news for perhaps the NFL’s most receiver-light roster. Head coach and offensive shot-caller Brian Daboll would love a receiver like Flowers, who combines track speed and outstanding release ability to confound cornerbacks of every type.

The Giants have met with Flowers and do have interest, so this is a very possible scenario. As stated, the Giants need a home run hitter and Flowers is a player who can score from any spot on the field.

Round 2, Pick 57: BJ Ojulari, EDGE, LSU

Why not? What’s better than having one Ojulari brother on your roster? Having two.

The Giants met with Ojulari at the NFL Scouting Combine and have familiarity with him through his brother, Azeez. BJ is a solid player and has stud potential. It’s a novel idea to have bookend brothers but this pick would have suited the Giants better if they would have used it on a center or a cornerback.

Round 3, Pick 89: DeMarvion Overshown, linebacker, Texas

Interesting player as Overshown is a former safety-turned-linebacker. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale runs his defense through his safeties and this pick, who many might not see the benefit of, would give Wink an additional big body to use as a quasi-backer in his scheme.

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2023 two-round NFL mock draft: Matt Anderson’s mock draft 4.0

In the latest mock draft from Matt Anderson, the top four quarterbacks go in the top 10, as does the first wide receiver.

With the NFL Draft less than a month away, teams have been busy utilizing free agency and trades to strengthen their rosters. However, it’s the draft that can truly separate the contenders from the pretenders. While some teams have used these opportunities to address their immediate needs, others have set their sights on long-term development.

With so much at stake, the pressure is on for teams to make the right choices in the draft and set themselves up for success in the coming seasons.

 

2023 two-round NFL mock draft: Matt Anderson’s mock draft 3.0

With the combine in the books, there is a lot more information on players. With that in mind, @MattAnderson_8 give you his latest mock draft

With the NFL Combine now in the rearview mirror, teams across the league have a much clearer picture of the top prospects in this year’s draft class. With all this information in hand, front offices will now begin the process of finalizing their draft boards and strategizing for the upcoming NFL Draft in April. As the anticipation builds, it’s time to take a closer look at some of the potential top picks in this year’s draft and the teams that might be interested in them.

Vikings 2023 NFL draft scouting report: LSU EDGE B.J. Ojulari

The LSU pass rusher is eerily reminiscent of his brother Azeez on the field. Is his projection similar?

Welcome to SKOL Search!

This series will be your guide to the 2023 draft class. From scouting reports to mock drafts and exploring different scenarios, we will be covering the NFL draft and the future of the Minnesota Vikings from all angles.

The focus of the draft class in this space will be on the Vikings’ major needs at wide receiver, running back, cornerback and both interior and edge pass rusher.

The Vikings are slated to have four picks before compensatory selections are awarded and they need to make the most out of them.

B.J. Ojulari: Joining Azeez on Giants would ‘be a blessing’

LSU defensive end B.J. Ojulari says it would “be a blessing” to join the New York Giants and play alongside his brother, Azeez Ojulari.

What’s better than having Azeez Ojulari rushing the quarterback for your defense? Having his younger brother, B.J., rushing the quarterback alongside him.

That is very much a possibility for the New York Giants this year should they select LSU edge rusher/defensive end B.J. Ojulari in the upcoming NFL draft.

B.J., who at 20 is two years younger than his brother, has met with the Giants and told reporters on Tuesday that meeting went “very well.”

“If I end up with him, it’s going to be a blessing to play with my brother [Azeez] again,” B.J. said. “He’s like a mentor to me. I lean on him a lot.”

B.J. is almost a carbon copy of Azeez at 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds. He likens his style to that of Philadelphia’s Hassan Reddick, a player that has intrigued the Giants in the past.

Azeez was a second-round pick out of Georgia two years ago and set a Giants’ rookie record for sacks with 8.0. He could not build on that success last year as he was hindered by a calf injury.

For the Giants to snag the younger Ojulari, they’ll likely have to do so in Round 2 as he is rated a second-round talent by several draft sites. They might not be in a position to do that, especially with the long ‘to-do’ list general manager Joe Schoen has this offseason.

The Giants may feel they have enough edge rushing power with Azeez and last year’s first-round pick, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and just might have to pass on B.J. for a more pressing roster need.

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Pre-combine EDGE rankings: Bend is the pathway to pressures in the NFL

As the combine approaches, who are the top 10 pass rushers to watch?

As the Cleveland Browns look to improve their defensive line, they will also look to get a long-term running mate to bookend that unit with Myles Garrett. While Alex Wright is just a third rounder from a year ago, they cannot go into the 2023 season banking on a massive leap from him. As we get further into the 2023 NFL Draft process, with the NFL Scouting Combine next week, it is time to release a new batch of rankings.

A bit about my process, the guys who win in the league and gather constant pressure all have one thing in common: they can win along the outside shoulder and flatten their path to the quarterback with bend. According to PFF, the players with the most pressures in 2022 were Micah Parsons, Nick Bosa, Haason Reddick, Maxx Crosby, Za’Darius Smith, Jaelan Phillips, Josh Allen, Danielle Hunter, Trey Hendrickson, and Myles Garrett.

What is one thing all of these players (with Smith being the lone outlier) have in common? They possess flexible hips and the ability to take the outside shoulder at will with bend. My rankings will look much different from the consensus as this is something I weigh heavily because the path to success with this trait is evident.

Here are my top ten pass rushers as the Browns prepare to gather more in Indianapolis next week.