Ohio State landed a surprise commitment from 2021 four-star defensive end Tunmise Adeleye, the No. 41 overall prospect in the class out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, on Wednesday afternoon. Adeleye joins five-star defensive end Jack Sawyer and four-star defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. in Ohio State's 2021 defensive line haul.
While many have questioned Adeleye's measurables and whether or not he can stay as a defensive end, one thing that no one should question is his ability to play football. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, Adeleye has unique athleticism for his size. He also possesses a lot of power with raw hand technique that will only improve once he arrives in Columbus.
Those three traits, combined with many other parts of Adeleye's game, are why defensive line coach Larry Johnson wanted him so badly, and they are the traits we will be breaking down today.
Unique Athleticism
When seeing Adeleye's height and weight, some people view him a college defensive tackle who plays defensive end in high school. While that idea could come to fruition, it remains very likely he plays defensive end in college.
Adeleye has very good length and bend for his size but more importantly, he is a freaky good athlete. Often times when watching his film, one can see him track down ballcarriers on the outside despite being a bigger-bodied defensive end. And he does not get beat outside much.
With his athleticism, Adeleye is able to shut down one side of the field on both pass and run plays.
- Play one: This play is a great glimpse into the athleticism that Adeleye brings. Lined up at the top of the screen at defensive end, he gives ground before seeing the quarterback scrambling. Once he sees the quarterback breaking to the sideline, he disengages his blocker and chases down the QB for a tackle for loss.
- Play one: Once again lined up on the wide side, Adelye reads the swing pass right off the snap and goes immediately to the running back, tracking him down before he gets to the line of scrimmage.
- Play three: As we said above, Adeleye does not let the ball get outside of him, and you can see that here. He reads the option play coming his way and pushes the offensive lineman into the backfield, taking away the pitch. Since the quarterback has to keep it now, Adeleye wraps him up for a loss once again.
Adeleye's build and athleticism make him a perfect complement to Sawyer, who is also a stud athlete.
Loads of Power
This trait of Adeleye's game may be what makes most people see him as a potential defensive tackle, because he is stronger than many defensive ends. He has the power to stuff blockers on the line then shed them to get to the ball carrier. Adeleye also uses this power to anchor down on blockers and become an immovable object along the defensive line. That power will only get better once he gets into Ohio State's strength program.
- Play one: Adeleye's power is clear as day on this play as he anchors down at the line of scrimmage on a would-be double team before shedding the guard and stuffing the running back for a loss.
- Play two: This time, Adeleye shocks the offensive tackle with a powerful punch then tosses him to the side before stepping into the hole and wrapping up the ballcarrier for a loss.
- Play three: This play is kind of a mixture of the two previous plays, as he stuns the offensive lineman at the line and walks him into the backfield. As he sees the running back breaking outside, he sheds the tackle and wraps up the running back for a loss.
Raw Hand Technique
This is not meant as a knock on Adeleye; instead, it is more of a compliment to the power and athleticism he has that allows him to succeed. Just like most high school players, Adeleye is still a tad raw with his technique, but he does use his hands well. When he comes to Ohio State, he will be able to soak in all the great techniques that Larry Johnson will teach him, but he already shows some ability to use his hands to get off blocks and make plays.
- Play one: Right off the snap, Adeleye sees the guard overset to the outside and quickly hits the swim move to the inside. After hitting the swim move, he slices through the line of scrimmage for an easy quarterback sack.
- Play two: This time on a run play, Adeleye punches the offensive guard then once again uses a swim move to get past him and hit the running back for a loss.
- Play three: As soon as the ball is snapped, Adeleye sees the guard overset to the outside and uses a quick hand chop to cut inside and sack the quarterback.
Adeleye has very quick hands, but he does not always need to have refined technique to beat high school opponents. He'll have plenty of room to improve in that area once Johnson starts loading up his toolbox.
It is uncertain exactly where he will fit best as a college defensive lineman, but his versatility, athleticism, power and potential to improve could make him a star in Columbus.
