It's been a frantic fortnight for the Washington Commanders as Adam Peters got to work on improving the roster in free agency and the trade market. But with the dust settling, attention is slowly returning to the 2025 NFL Draft once again.
And one prospect is generating plenty of momentum where the Commanders are concerned.
Peters only has five draft selections at his disposal currently. Trading for cornerback Marshon Lattimore before the 2024 deadline depleted the assets. They diminished further when the Commanders made bold moves to acquire wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. and left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
That's the price of progress. The Commanders are in win-now mode and making the sort of moves associated with building around a rookie quarterback contract. Peters would like to have more selections when the time comes, but there are ways to work around that via trade-downs if the right offers come along.
Commanders taking a keen interest in UCLA prospect Oluwafemi Oladejo
That's for the future. For now, the Commanders are running the rule over prospects at pro days across the country. According to Tony Pauline from Sportskeeda, there was one prospect catching their attention above all else at UCLA's showcase.
Oluwafemi Oladejo put on a show for those in attendance at the Bruins' pro day. Pauline stated that the Commanders were in attendance to specifically see the hybrid edge rusher/linebacker. The insider also believes he's firmly in play at No. 29 overall given the physical tools he brings to the table.
"He was run through hoop drills and pass-rush drills as well as off-ball linebacker drills and looked as good as one can stacking against the run. [Oluwafemi] Oladejo was a middle/inside linebacker for UCLA before moving to the edge-rushing spot this season. The Commanders contingent was on hand specifically to watch Oladejo, and a trip to Washington is one of the 10 official-30 visits presently on his calendar. Considering the moves Washington has made this offseason to improve its roster, and the fact that pass rusher is one area the team needs an upgrade at, that means Oladejo will be in the conversation at pick 29."
Tony Pauline
Ryan Fowler from The Draft Network added fuel to the fire. The analyst revealed that Oladejo went on a 30-visit to the Commanders on Tuesday. He also revealed that Peters and head coach Dan Quinn were part of the contingent that traveled to California to get a good look at the prospect.
Dozens of other players are being evaluated before the Commanders finalize their first-round shortlist. It'll also be a waiting game for Washington considering how low they are picking in the pecking order compared to previous years.
However, this development seems notable.
Oladejo is the sort of player Quinn thrived with in previous stops. His athleticism, versatility, and explosiveness bring endless possibilities to a defense that struggled to generate consistent pressure last season. Although he's spent time as an off-ball linebacker, he looks better suited to the edge. Even so, it's a nice problem for the Commanders to have.
There's an infectious enthusiasm to Oladejo's attitude that's hard not to love. He's got the necessary length to gain leverage despite not being the tallest at 6-foot-2. His explosiveness and straight-line speed flashed plenty with the Bruins, so it's not hard to see why Quinn wants to examine his credentials in greater detail.
It'll be interesting to see if this becomes something more concrete. But the interest in Oladejo is there for all to see.
