Some NFL Draft prospects have paths to the pros laid out ahead of them far before their collegiate careers, while others have to carve out their own. In the 2022 NFL Draft, Washington ILB Edefuan Ulofoshio is a case of the latter. Ulofoshio was once an afterthought on the college football stage — now, his scouting report demands plenty of attention.
Edefuan Ulofoshio NFL Draft Profile
- Position: Linebacker
- School: Washington
- Current Year: Redshirt Junior
- Height: 6’1″
- Weight: 230 pounds
Edefuan Ulofoshio Scouting Report
On the heels of a 2021 NFL Draft linebacker class that produced tantalizing talents like Micah Parsons, Zaven Collins, Jamin Davis, and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, the 2022 class is much less certain. There isn’t as much depth or top-end talent as the 2021 group boasted.
Things will change, of course, as the 2022 season plays out. But for now, it’s hard to project how the 2022 linebacker class might progress. No one is locked in at the top. Thus, there’s plenty of room for a sleeper like Washington ILB Ulofoshio to breakthrough. Does Ulofoshio have the traits to make that happen?
Ulofoshio’s athletic profile
As is always the case, Ulofoshio’s NFL Draft scouting report starts with his athletic parameters. The Washington ILB is certainly intriguing. He doesn’t display top-end athleticism with much consistency, but there are some appealing traits to take note of. Ulofoshio possesses a great deal of lateral agility, and he’s exceptionally light on his feet. He proactively uses his lateral agility to seal off rushing lanes.
Additionally, Ulofoshio flashes an impressive closing burst at the tackle point, and he can maximize his pursuit speed with quick, long strides. He also shows off some explosiveness when he has a runway. Furthermore, the Washington product flashes fluidity when flipping his hips and dropping into coverage. With this fluidity, Ulofoshio can instinctively navigate congestion and flow to the ball carrier. He has some escapability when it comes to avoiding blocks and owns stellar balance when engaged with blockers.
Among other things, Ulofoshio has loose hips and can get low to attack blocks with heightened leverage. He also possesses solid footwork in coverage, and his ability to manage spacing is easily observable.
Execution beyond the physical traits
Ulofoshio’s scouting report contains some athletic upside, but the Washington ILB may be more appealing for his intangible traits. He’s a high-effort player who consistently finishes plays. He willingly engages blockers and takes strong tackling angles, proactively wrapping up ball carriers with his arms. He has the awareness to recognize delayed routes from running backs, and he always keeps his eyes keyed in on the quarterback in coverage.
Additionally, Ulofoshio’s composure is more than worth noting. Play-action fakes don’t easily fool the Washington ILB, and he isn’t fazed by initial losses in run defense. He can adapt quickly as plays develop, and this helps him to recover at the second level.
Areas for improvement
As much as Ulofoshio showed promise in 2020, some questions are marring his 2022 NFL Draft scouting report. Most notably, the Washington LB doesn’t appear to have elite overall athleticism, even if some of his traits are solid. His short-range explosiveness can show up with more consistency, and his maximum pursuit speed isn’t top-tier. Moreover, Ulofoshio doesn’t have exceptional corrective athleticism, and his size is somewhat lacking. He doesn’t quite have the length to make tackles amidst displacement.
In run defense, Ulofoshio’s size also comes up — he can struggle to disengage against larger blockers. Furthermore, he overshoots tackling angles on occasion and can periodically work himself into the wrong gap and become vulnerable. For the most part, Ulofoshio is assignment-sound, but he can strive to maximize his consistency.
It’s worth noting that, while Ulofoshio’s athleticism doesn’t appear to be elite, he can afford to play faster at times. He’s a measured player but also reserved and sometimes tentative. As a result, he doesn’t always play at full speed. Similarly, he doesn’t play with anticipation in coverage often. Adding that to his game might allow him to become more dynamic.
Ulofoshio’s NFL Draft scouting report overview
It remains to be seen where Ulofoshio will file in among the other 2022 linebackers. He seems to be reasonably athletic, and he offers some refinement in both run and pass defense. However, his upside remains ambiguous. He owns redeeming traits, like short-range burst and lateral athleticism, but his sideline-to-sideline speed too often underwhelms.
With his background as a walk-on and his impressive tackling ability, Ulofoshio undoubtedly has early utility as a special-teams player. Still, if he wants to be a starter at the NFL level, he may need to unlock more parts of his game. He’s a solid player with a reasonably high floor. But right now, he isn’t a legitimate challenger for a Round 1 slot. Even so, Ulofoshio has three-down potential. It’s just a matter of how impactful he’ll end up being.
Edefuan Ulofoshio’s Player Profile
Ulofoshio wasn’t ranked as a recruit in the 2018 recruiting cycle. Despite playing for Bishop Gorman High School and helping his team to a 42-3 record and three state championships, Ulofoshio didn’t attract any interest as a next-level prospect.
He could have taken the JUCO route, but the defensive stalwart from Las Vegas, Nevada, ultimately chose to chase his dream of playing Division I-A football. Ulofoshio took a leap of faith and walked on for the Washington Huskies.
Ulofoshio’s career at Washington and NFL Draft ascension
In what was an impressive feat on its own, Ulofoshio managed to earn playing time as a true freshman walk-on, although it wasn’t much. He only played in three games, mainly on special teams, but managed to make an impact nonetheless. Ulofoshio forced 2 fumbles in that short period, providing a glimpse of what was to come.
In 2019, Ulofoshio expanded onto the defensive side of the ball. He played in all 13 of Washington’s games, starting three. Along that stretch, the Huskies LB accumulated 47 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and a forced fumble. To Ulofoshio’s delight, his 2019 performance earned him a scholarship with the Huskies, and he came into the shortened 2020 season with newfound energy.
Washington’s 2020 campaign was only four games in total, but Ulofoshio produced at a career-high clip. He matched his tackle total from the previous year with 47 and tacked on a sack, 4 pass deflections, 2 fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble. In the process, he earned All-Pac-12 second-team honors.
In a sense, Ulofoshio has already succeeded by earning a scholarship after walking on to a Power Five program. Still, the journey isn’t over for the Washington ILB. The 2022 NFL Draft is on the horizon, and he has a chance to take the next step.
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