Ajani Cornelius, OT, Oregon (Senior)
Rayane M
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Strengths :
- Powerful player
- Good anchor capacity
- Good punch
- Solid run blocker
- Visible improvement since last year
Weaknesses :
- Lacks mobility
- Average footwork
- Balance problems
- Engages with his head
- Leverage
OT Ajani Cornelius
— Rayane M (@RayaneScout) March 17, 2025
A player whose solid floor will be able to find a place in the rotation of many a roster, but whose ceiling remains unclear at the moment.
As with many of the profiles in this Draft, Ajani will need to be polished in order to reveal his potential.
Tier 4🏗️ pic.twitter.com/tyXFa1jclB
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If the Ducks had such a successful offensive season, it's no coincidence. Generally, having a strong offensive line is crucial for developing plays and performing well on offense. Today, we're going to discuss one of the key components of Oregon's offensive line, their right tackle, Ajani Cornelius.
Firstly, it's important to note that Ajani Cornelius is a powerful and heavy player in his style of play. It's particularly his heaviness that stood out to me. I was actually surprised to see his listed weight on the Ducks' website, which was later confirmed in the pre-draft process, because when you watch him play, you wouldn't think he weighs 315-310 pounds; he looks more like a player with an additional 20 pounds or so.
You'll understand, then, that Cornelius plays with a powerful and imposing style, reminiscent of a "big baby." This is evident in his movements, his blocking, and particularly in his impact. He seems to consistently deliver punishing hits and is rarely troubled by edge rushers or power rushers attempting to overpower
You'll understand, then, that Cornelius plays with a powerful and imposing style, reminiscent of a "big baby." This is evident in his movements, his blocking, and particularly in his impact. He seems to consistently deliver punishing hits and is rarely troubled by edge rushers or power rushers attempting to overpower
Regarding his power and heaviness in his play, let's also discuss his anchoring ability, which is quite good, sometimes even very good, depending on the opponents he faced this season. As mentioned earlier, Ajani is rarely troubled when facing power rushers who rely solely on brute force. This is largely due to his strong anchoring ability, which allows him to contain such threats effectively.
Among his strengths, Cornelius possesses a strong punch, which he arguably underutilizes given its effectiveness. Throughout the season, I've seen him deliver powerful punches to his opponents, including power rushers, effectively stunning them in both pass and run situations
Despite this strength, Ajani must be cautious not to lean too far forward when engaging his opponents, as this can quickly lead to imbalance. This is a point we'll revisit later.
Despite this strength, Ajani must be cautious not to lean too far forward when engaging his opponents, as this can quickly lead to imbalance. This is a point we'll revisit later.
Continuing with Cornelius' strengths, it's fair to say that Ajani is quite solid in run-blocking situations. He hits hard, and although his footwork isn't exceptional in terms of activity, when he engages his legs, he's more than capable of opening significant gaps thanks to his power. I believe he still has room for improvement in this area, but we'll delve into that in the section on weaknesses.
There's a question mark regarding Ajani's potential and ceiling, which I've chosen to highlight as a strength. One thing is clear: he has shown significant improvement between last season and this one. This progress suggests that he has the potential to continue developing and refining his skills, which could make him an even more formidable player in the future.
Ajani's noticeable improvement from last year to this season is a significant factor in evaluating his potential. Having observed his progression, it's clear that he still has room for further development. This potential for growth is an important consideration when deciding whether to select him, as it indicates that he could continue to refine his skills and become an even more effective player in the future.
Ajani's noticeable improvement from last year to this season is a significant factor in evaluating his potential. Having observed his progression, it's clear that he still has room for further development. This potential for growth is an important consideration when deciding whether to select him, as it indicates that he could continue to refine his skills and become an even more effective player in the future.
Now that we've discussed his strengths, it's time to address Ajani Cornelius' weaknesses. As is often the case with players of his archetype, he has some predictable areas for improvement
Starting with his lack of mobility and agility, while Ajani can quickly reach the second level of the defense thanks to decent explosiveness, he struggles with changing direction. His agility is poor, making it difficult for him to track targets in open space, especially on screen passes. Although he can effectively engage linebackers in zone plays, he struggles against agile and fast opponents.
This tank-like quality also affects his footwork, which is generally far from extraordinary, particularly in pass protection where he appears quite rigid. This is especially noticeable in his kick and slide technique, which comes across as robotic and choppy.
That's accurate, and while it gets the job done, it's far from excellent. I'm concerned that he might struggle significantly against elite NFL edge rushers. While Ajani can handle basic power rushers, he could face serious challenges against opponents who are fast, explosive, technically skilled, and possess a strong bend.
That's accurate, and while it gets the job done, it's far from excellent. I'm concerned that he might struggle significantly against elite NFL edge rushers. While Ajani can handle basic power rushers, he could face serious challenges against opponents who are fast, explosive, technically skilled, and possess a strong bend.
Additionally, Ajani sometimes struggles to turn his hips and secure blocks in certain running situations, particularly on outside runs that require a reach block. He also needs to be cautious with his footwork on trap or pull plays, where he must move perpendicular to the rest of the offensive line. I've seen him start with the wrong foot several times, which can immediately put him off balance. These technical errors, when facing a defensive tackle who penetrates quickly and explosively, can kill a play and disrupt an entire drive.
As promised in the strengths section, let's revisit Ajani Cornelius' overall balance, focusing on the imbalance that can sometimes occur due to his punch. While Ajani's punch is powerful, it is not particularly quick or explosive. This can be a significant issue, especially in pass protection situations where the technical level of opponents in the NFL will likely be much higher than what he faced at Oregon.
The issue is that due to the lack of speed and explosiveness in his punch, it can be easily anticipated. Opponents can simply swat his hands away, leading him to become completely off-balance due to the weight and force exerted during the punch. Additionally, Ajani has a tendency to engage blocks with his head, which can further exacerbate balance issues and potentially lead to penalties or injuries.
While the issues with his punch are more pronounced in pass protection, it's during run situations that Ajani's tendency to engage blocks with his head becomes particularly problematic. This habit, aimed at achieving a more significant impact, could quickly backfire against professional opponents. If facing top-tier edge rushers, Ajani risks being easily evaded, leading to missed blocks and potentially compromising the play.
Ajani will need to focus on improving his technique to engage blocks more effectively and safely, leveraging his lower body strength to maintain stability. By refining his approach, he can avoid compromising his balance and fully utilize his power to anchor himself better during plays.
Finally, a crucial aspect of Ajani's game to address is his tendency to play too high. He often lacks leverage and relies solely on his raw strength to overpower his opponents. This is significant because, despite ignoring leverage, Ajani still manages to win most of his matchups. Imagine having a high level of skill in any field while being unknowingly handicapped your entire life. If Ajani can learn to incorporate leverage into his technique, he could unlock even greater potential and become a more dominant force on the field.
If Ajani Cornelius can focus on playing lower and developing better leverage, he has the potential to elevate his game significantly. By improving his ability to play with a good power angle, he can become an even more formidable player. This will require dedication and effort on his part, but the potential rewards in terms of performance and effectiveness on the field could be substantial.
In a draft that is decidedly less attractive in terms of top-tier, NFL-ready talents, Ajani Cornelius stands out as a player who may slide due to certain weaknesses in his game—particularly a technique that falls short compared to other names in this class, as well as some uncertainty regarding his potential.
While this is certainly true at the time of writing, Oregon remains in a strong position to qualify for the playoffs and potentially make a deep run. This could allow Cornelius to finish the season with a bang, significantly boosting his draft stock. And that’s not even considering the entire draft process, which could further help him climb the board as the Draft approaches.
That being said, regardless of the fact that, at this moment in my evaluation, he is ranked lower than some other prospects, Ajani remains an intriguing player to pick at the right time. His relatively high floor and solid performance in both pass protection and run blocking make him a worthwhile selection.
While it may not be easy to gauge Ajani Cornelius’ full potential, he has shown notable progression this season and proven to be a reliable lineman, at the very least, despite some minor technical inconsistencies. He truly embodies the archetype of a solid right tackle—without necessarily standing out as a superstar. This makes him a great fit for a draft class filled with dependable players who will require some development but can, at the very least, serve as valuable rotational pieces for an NFL team.
While I currently struggle to see Cornelius as a talent with Pro Bowl potential or someone who displays high-level flashes, I have far fewer doubts about his ability to be a solid rotational offensive tackle who could still be in the league six to eight years from now.
For all these reasons, I have placed Ajani Cornelius in Tier 4. I wouldn’t be opposed to selecting a player like Ajani on Day 3, and given the progression I’ve seen from him this season compared to last year, I wouldn’t mind an early selection on that third day—ideally in the fourth round.
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