Every time Tennessee gets a commitment in either football or men’s basketball, we will write up an impact report looking at what that recruit does well, what we feel he needs to improve in his game, and what his projected impact with the Vols could be over the next few years.
Latest Commit: BJ Ojulari, OLB
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 225 pounds
School: Marietta (Georgia)
Home Town: Marietta, GA
Rankings
247Sports Composite: No. 157 overall, No. 10 WDE
247Sports: No. 184 overall, No. 9 WDE
Rivals: 5.9 rating, No. 145 overall, No. 12 OLB
Notable Offers: Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Auburn
What we like:
In terms of athleticism and quickness, few do it better than BJ Ojulari. He has great burst off the snap, and he moves exceptionally well in space. He can run sideline-to-sideline very effectively, and he’s just as capable covering the flat and stopping the run as he is rushing the passer. He has great awareness and uses his long arms to disrupt plays you wouldn’t expect him to be able to get to. It always seems like Ojulari is in line to make a play for Marietta. He especially impressed at Nike’s The Opening Finals back in July not only with his athleticism and speed rush capabilities, but also with his instincts and improvement on technique. Ojulari also has some versatility, playing as both a stand up outside linebacker and a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end for Marietta. He’s an all-around exceptional player who should fit in well with what Tennessee wants to do on defense.
Places to improve:
Though he’s added some weight to his 6-foot-3 frame this offseason, Ojulari still needs to add more mass and muscle to his body. He’s bigger than the 225 pounds he’s listed at on recruiting services right now, but he’s still not at the weight he needs to be in order to play significantly in the SEC. That’s a relatively minor blemish, though, as Ojulari should be able to add the necessary weight without taking away from his athleticism very much. He will also need to learn some more moves and techniques, but gaining more strength is the biggest thing for him at the next level.
Analysis:
I know for a fact that Tennessee’s coaches are very, very high on Ojulari. He’s higher up on their recruiting board than you might expect. He’s already a borderline top-150 overall prospect, but UT’s coaches have him much higher than that on their board, I assure you. They view him as an elite pass rusher, and I think he can fit in exceptionally well to Tennessee’s 3-4 defensive scheme. The Vols have a major need for DPRs (designated pass rushers) for their 2020 roster, and I think Ojulari should at least be featured in sub packages in obvious passing downs. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him play a bigger role than that as a true freshman, though. Assuming he adds the necessary weight and strength to contribute as a true freshman, expect to see him on the field in 2020.
