Getty Adetomiwa Adebawore working out on-field during the NFL combine.
As the 2023 NFL draft draws closer, it’s becoming a bit easier to get a feel for what players multiple teams could be interested in, and the Detroit Lions are no exception.
The Lions are beginning to due their diligence on multiple different draft prospects, and some interesting names have begun to come into the mix for the team.
As Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 Houston shared, the Lions had a private meeting with Northwestern defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore. As a whole, they are one of seven teams to get a look at him pre-draft.
Northwestern @NUFBFamily defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore (4.49 speed) visited #Buccaneers today, has visited #Bears #Falcons, to visit #Seahawks worked out for #Saints, met privately with #Bears #Lions #Rams @KPRC2 #NFLDraft2023
“Northwestern defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore (4.49 speed) visited Buccaneers today, has visited Bears, Falcons, to visit Seahawks. Worked out for Saints, met privately with Bears, Lions, Rams,” Wilson tweeted.
The fact that Detroit hosted a private visit with Adebawore is certainly intriguing. It could point to the notion that he will be strongly considered by the team with an early selection.
Detroit has four picks within the first two rounds of the draft, and Adebawore is a player who might find a fit at one of those earlier spots given his popularity across the league right now.
Lions Called a Top Draft Fit for Adetomiwa Adebawore
When the draft rolls around, the Lions could be hunting for defensive lineman, which has become a theme following the way the team has addressed their defensive needs in free agency.
Detroit added cornerbacks Cameron Sutton from the Pittsburgh Steelers, Emmanuel Moseley from the San Francisco 49ers and C.J. Gardner-Johnson from the Philadelphia Eagles. That has combined to reduce the need for a cornerback early in the draft, which could set the defensive line up as the biggest need.
ESPN analyst Matt Miller took a look at ranking the team’s five biggest draft needs, and spots for improvement, and defensive line has now risen to the top of the list for the rest of the offseason. In fact, addressing that spot is now the first move Miller believe the team should look at solving in the draft.
“Up first will be addressing the defensive line — either at tackle with Jalen Carter (Georgia) if he’s available or defensive end. Detroit ranked 30th in the NFL in opponent yards per attempt (5.2) and passing yards per game (245.8). The Lions got great production from linebackers James Houston, Malcolm Rodriguez and Alex Anzalone last year, and it’s expected they’ll take on larger roles in 2023, but don’t be surprised if Detroit backstops those spots with depth,” Miller wrote in the piece.
Potentially enter Adebawore, a player that could offer the team some upside along the defensive front. Already, some have seen him as a good fit for the Lions. In writing about Adebawore’s top fits in the NFL, analyst Jack McKessy at The Draft Network singled out Detroit as one of his top fits thanks to his ability to stall the run.
“While the team invested in edge rushers in the 2022 NFL Draft, their interior defensive line was still a weak spot during the 2022 season, particularly in run-stopping situations. Adebawore’s competency in gap control and reading blocks, as well as his ability to play head-up on tackles, make him an intriguing prospect to shore up that weakness. On top of that, head coach Dan Campbell and his coaching staff value versatility, which could allow Adebawore to showcase his range of skills and alignments as both a run-stopper and a pass rusher across the defensive line,” McKessy wrote in the piece.
On Detroit’s defense, the team has multiple players who offer position versatility, with the ability to go inside out at the defensive tackle and defensive end spot. The best example of this, John Cominsky, just re-signed with the team after enjoying a career year posting four sacks and 30 total tackles, proving the value of such a hybird player to the Lions.
In addition to the Lions, the Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints were also included in Adebawore’s top fits.
Adetomiwa Adebawore’s College Stats & Highlights
As underrated as he could be entering the draft, Adebawore could soon be a household name in the league, and that’s a path he has started toward while in college and more recently the pre-draft process.
A big advantage for Adebawore is how he may not cost Detroit the sixth-overall pick and could do just the same amount of damage in the trenches as a top prospect. The Northwestern product was sneaky productive in the Big Ten, posting 97 total tackles, 24.5 tackles for-loss, 12.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and one interception in a stout four-year career.
Adebawore would be likely to get selected a bit further down the board, but he could have worked himself into an early selection with a fantastic workout period. During the NFL combine, Adebawore put up a 4.49 40 yard-dash, which was the fastest time recorded for a player above 280 pounds. As Adebawore told The Jim Rome Show, he felt he had much to prove and rose to the occasion.
“I definitely had a lot to prove. I just didn’t think people understood just how athletic I really was. Being able to show that just makes me happy I was able to come out and execute because you only get a few opportunities to execute in those type of moments, so I was able to do that and I’m happy with that,” he told Rome on the show.
Aside from his stats as well as his solid performance, Adebawore would seemingly fit Detroit’s culture of hard working players and underdogs well. He’s another name to strongly remember on defense this year, especially after the visit.