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Edefuan Ulofoshio, LB, Washington (Senior)

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Rayane M

Back for the 2024 NFL Draft edition, The Trick Play team is once again offering to immerse you in the heart of the event through the scouting reports of Rayane and Valentin. Who will become the next gem of the pro world and who, on the contrary, risks a spectacular flop?
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Strengths :

    • Promising Reads*
    • Solid Run stopper
    • Decent Blitz
    • Promising Man-to-Man Coverage
    • Good Pursuit
    • Plays with good pad level

     

    Weaknesses :

    • *Needs to work on reads
    • Lacks power
    • Lacks Speed and Explosiveness
    • Poor Zone Coverage
    • Tackling Technique
    • Age
     

    TTProfil

     
    Edefuan Ulofoshio is the epitome of a player who will be remembered for his performances in college football but may unfortunately not achieve the same success in the pros for several reasons. However, the former captain of the Washington team, who helped lead the Huskies to a national final, also possesses qualities that could interest some franchises looking to bolster their linebacker corps.
     
    First off, Edefuan has shown some qualities in his ability to read the game, and when I say here that he has shown things rather than saying he has a nice read, it's because there's still work to be done as we'll see a little later in this scouting report. But for now, let's focus on the positives. On the bright side of his reading ability, we must mention his first step in reading, which is used effectively. He doesn't do it just to check a box but really does it to understand what's happening while narrowing down the path he'll have to take if it's a running play. Moreover, his reading is rather decent, even good on some reps, and Edefuan seems to be a disciplined and diligent player, which are good qualities for a linebacker position like his. 
     
    An interesting point about Ulofoshio is that he shows some promising qualities in man-to-man coverage situations. Despite average athletic abilities, as we'll see later, it's not uncommon to see Edefuan taking good angles to track his assignment and reacting well to stay in position to act if the player he's responsible for is targeted by the opposing QB.

    If Edefuan is capable of showing some nice flashes in man-to-man coverage situations, it's not necessarily his strongest suit. His standout quality lies in run stopping. Indeed, he sometimes shows very promising signs in run defense, although he's still somewhat inconsistent in my opinion. What I like about him is his ability to shed blocks; he can create separation with a strong punch or simply evade the block with agility. This versatility in his play style is a strong point because he'll likely face different types of opponents once in the pros, and being able to adjust his game according to the opposition is a valuable asset. 
     
    Furthermore, regarding his ability to stop the run, I really appreciate the fact that Edefuan plays with good pad level. Whether it's how he initiates a block or when he comes in for a tackle, he makes a genuine effort to stay low to the ground to maximize leverage, which helps him on many plays.
     
    Continuing on his ability to stop the run, Ulofoshio has demonstrated several times throughout this season that he is rather adept and willing in pursuit. Most of the time, he is able to compensate for his lack of speed with good pursuit angles and, as mentioned earlier, solid reading skills. Since he generally pursues the ball carrier correctly and quite willingly, he is also often able to come in to help finish a play as he is usually close to the ball. However, it's important to note that he can sometimes be a bit too casual in providing assistance to the rest of the defense in bringing the ball carrier down and preventing them from gaining valuable extra yards.

    Finally, I've observed that Ulofoshio is quite an intriguing player in blitz situations, especially when he fully commits to them. However, unfortunately, Edefuan has shown that he can sometimes lack explosiveness. Therefore, if he doesn't give his all when blitzing, he can quickly become ineffective. It remains to be seen whether his ability to blitz effectively will translate to the NFL.


    Now, Edefuan also has some flaws. While we've seen that reading plays is one of his strengths, he needs to be careful about the small errors he sometimes makes in his reads. These errors often stem from impatience or rushing on his part. As mentioned earlier, Ulofoshio generally reads the game well and is a disciplined player, but sometimes he tries to do too much, putting himself in difficult situations. Additionally, Edefuan has had some bad luck because whenever he made a small mistake in his reads this season, it often resulted in a big play for the opposing offense.
    Another aspect of his reading that needs work is that he sometimes takes too long to react after seeing and reading the play. This suggests another area for improvement for Edefuan. 
    Finally, another aspect of his reading that needs improvement is Edefuan's ability to track the ball in traffic. It's evident from the footage that Ulofoshio relies heavily on the offensive line to read the play. However, this reliance can sometimes lead him to be deceived by play fakes. In an era where offensive coordinators are increasingly using offensive line actions to deceive defenses, Edefuan must quickly work on improving his reading ability by incorporating new keys if he wants to have a chance of becoming a starter in the NFL.

    I also noticed a slight lack of power that will need to be addressed during his transition to the pros. Ulofoshio is sometimes moved quite easily by the opposing offensive line to the extent that, to be honest, upon studying the tapes, I even thought that Edefuan was an undersized player, when in fact he is completely average in size for his position. Between this point and the previous one, it becomes clearer why Ulofoshio wasn't the primary Mike linebacker for the Huskies this season.

    Edefuan also sometimes lacks speed and explosiveness. On some reps, it's even surprising to see how slow he can appear. As always, this should be taken with caution because his 40-yard dash time during his pre-draft evaluation could change perceptions quickly. However, I personally have serious doubts about Edefuan's ability to be a sideline-to-sideline player.
     
    Since we're discussing his athletic abilities, I'll take a moment to touch on his zone coverage skills. Although he's capable of flashing some nice zone coverage plays that suggest potential improvement in this area, at present, his zone coverage is still very average. Additionally, Ulofoshio lacks fluid hips, which complicates his lateral and deep-field movements. He particularly struggles to open his hips to turn and pursue once the ball is thrown. So, there's still work to be done in this regard.

    Ulofoshio's tackling technique is once again clearly an area that needs work. He misses too many tackles in certain specific situations that should ideally be successful 100% of the time. His technique is lacking; most of the time, he tackles more with his arms than with his torso, and his legs don't follow through. With his legs stationary and attempting to reach the ball carrier with his arms, Ulofoshio sometimes finds himself in a poor position, vulnerable to cuts, stiff arms, or simply a ball carrier who keeps their legs active and continues to drive forward, gaining precious yards. Once again, Ulofoshio has some work to do in this area.
     
    Indeed, one aspect that cannot be changed is his age. Edefuan is an older player.
    Absolutely, especially when considering he's already 24 years old. Age is something that carries significant weight for certain GMs and coaches, as they often prioritize the potential progress a younger player can make compared to an older one.
     

    In conclusion, Edefuan Ulofoshio is a mid-round draft prospect who could be intriguing to develop, despite being on the older side. At 24 years old for his rookie season, he may already be considered relatively mature, which doesn't leave much time to raise his ceiling. However, he could immediately contend for a rotational ILB role, potentially as the third or fourth option, and be capable of filling in across various defensive schemes if injuries occur during the season.

    When I mention seeing him as an ILB, it's important to note that I don't see him as a traditional Mike LB (middle linebacker) in any system. Instead, I see him more as a Buck LB (second ILB in Nickel schemes, such as the 4-2-5, or an OLB in a 3-3-5). In a 3-4 defense, he would still be the second ILB, and in a more conventional 4-3, he would logically shift to OLB. With promising abilities in man-to-man coverage and solid potential in run support, there are certainly aspects of Ulofoshio's game worth considering, but he'll need to improve significantly in zone coverage and avoid missing routine tackles if he hopes to become a starter someday.

    In the right environment, he could surprise many. Therefore, he's a Day 3 pick for me, likely in the 5th round.

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