Olusegun Oluwatimi Draft Profile
Olusegun Oluwatimi, a former 2-star DeMatha Catholic High School prospect, committed to Virginia. As a freshman in 2019, Oluwatimi was given plenty of opportunities to showcase his talents, playing in 14 games and racking up a total of 933 snaps for the Cavaliers. Throughout these games, Oluwatimi allowed 11 QB hurries, 0 QB hits, and 4 sacks while playing at center.
Oluwatimi continued to grow as a player when he played in 10 games as a sophomore in 2020, recording a total of 718 snaps. During these games, he surrendered 13 QB hurries, 2 QB hits, and grand-total of 0 sacks while still playing at center.
It wasn’t until 2021 that Oluwatimi achieved great success as a top performer on the field. During his junior year, he saw action in 12 games, totaling 910 snaps playing at center. Although he gave up 12 QB hurries, 5 QB hits, and 3 sacks, his performance was praiseworthy.
After completing the 2021 season, Oluwatimi transferred to Michigan, where he peaked. During his senior year, he saw action in 13 games and played a total of 834 snaps for the Wolverines. While playing at center, Oluwatimi gave up only 4 QB hurries, 5 QB hits, and zero sacks, his most impressive performance yet.
Olusegun Oluwatimi Scouting Report Introduction
Oluwatimi has served as a four-year starter and has proven to be a valuable asset with his high football intelligence and understanding of angles. He has become known as the “QB” of Michigan’s offensive line by effectively communicating with fellow lineman and adjusting protections as needed.
An important aspect of being an offensive lineman is identifying potential blitzing defenders and alerting teammates of their responsibility. Oluwatimi excels in this area due to his spatial awareness and alertness on the field.
Another strength of Oluwatimi’s play is his hand placement and punch timing. He is able to fit and re-fit his hands if necessary and has impressive hand strength that allows him to latch onto opponents. Additionally, Oluwatimi is a reliable bumper to protect his teammates and has good lateral agility to mirror interior rushers.
When tasked with duo blocking or climbing to the second level of the defense, Oluwatimi’s functional athleticism shines through. He is also capable of getting out as a puller/lead blocker for his team.
However, there are areas where Oluwatimi struggles. One such area is maintaining an advantageous pad level during sets, which results in inconsistency with leveraging. His knee bend is also inconsistent, forcing him to bend at the waist, which can make him too heavy at times.
Furthermore, one of the bigger issues with Oluwatimi is his lack of displacement and leg drive at the point of attack in the run game. Although he is able to engage with opponents well, he rarely generates sizable running lanes vertically due to his average lower-body strength.
Oluwatimi is a well-experienced and intelligent offensive lineman who serves as a valuable asset to his team. While he possesses impressive skills, there are areas where he can improve in order to become an even more effective player on the field.
Strengths
One of the most impressive aspects of Oluwatimi’s game is his range, which allows him to easily move around the field and make important blocks on the move.
In pass protection, he maintains good balance and is able to withstand the bull rush, making him a reliable option for protecting the quarterback. Additionally, Oluwatimi’s strong hands give him an advantage in gripping and latching onto opponents, making it difficult for them to break through his defense.
Another factor that sets Oluwatimi apart from other players is his agility and technique. He possesses an excellent understanding of angles when moving out as a run blocker, and he is able to react quickly to twists and stunts in the defensive line. Oluwatimi also uses his hands effectively, placing them in a way that maximizes his powerful punch.
Oluwatimi demonstrates impressive coordination between his upper and lower body when moving in pass protection. This coordination allows him to make quick, active hand movements that help him latch onto defenders and make important blocks on the field.
Weaknesses
Oluwatimi struggles with his upper and lower body coordination, which can lead him to be overly aggressive when attempting to land the initial punch on his opponents. This eagerness often leaves him off-balance and vulnerable to countermoves.
His footwork can sometimes be problematic as he will occasionally stop his feet, which makes him vulnerable to being beat quick off the snap or having to hold to prevent a clean shot on the QB.
Another weakness in Oluwatimi’s game is his inconsistent kick slide, and he tends to set himself too high, leaving him susceptible to being pushed around by quicker and stronger players in the NFL. Oluwatimi tends to panic on reach blocks, often lunging and grabbing rather than relying on his athleticism to position himself correctly. This tendency to panic could lead to frequent holding flags.
Olusegun Oluwatimi is our 67th prospect on our draft big board.