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An All-American is now on the radar for the Los Angeles Rams as the NFL Draft is nine days away.
For a team in need of edge rush help following the departures of Von Miller (Buffalo Bills) and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (Houston Texans), the Super Bowl 56 champs have now become interested in a fast riser who has half of the league interested in him, per NFL insider Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network.
And this riser describes himself as “violent and quick,” words that are capable of piquing the interest of Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.
Texas Southern Pass Rusher Emerging as Red-Hot Name
Michael Badejo has the league’s attention per Wilson.
Every Draft, there’s that relative unknown prospect from a non Power Five conference school who draws heavy interest — with nearly half of the league including the Rams intrigued by him.
Sometimes that prospect hails from not only the Football Championship Subdivision realm, but is a star from the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) field.
The 6-foot-2, 265-pound Badejo is that prospect from the best of both worlds. He described his game in two adjectives.
“I’m very violent and quick,” said Badejo in his conversation with Wilson. “One of my specialties when it comes to my game is being able to get off the ball, not have the offensive linemen grab me, get around the corner and celebrate.”
Badejo hails from a place that years ago produced a future Super Bowl champion, perennial All-Pro and now a star on ABC’s Good Morning America and Fox’s NFL Sunday Michael Strahan.
Badejo’s Journey From Dallas to Houston
Badejo may have been considered undersized as a 6-foot-1, 215-pound edge rusher in high school coming out of Mansfield Timberview in Arlington, Texas.
However, 247Sports not only listed him as a three-star prospect, but Badejo stacked 21 scholarship offers total including Pac-12 programs Washington, Oregon State and Arizona State. He was the state of Texas’ No. 130 ranked overall prospect for the 2016 recruiting class.
Badejo isn’t just making the leap from the HBCU/FCS realm to the league. He started out in the Football Bowl Subdivision arena, but as a Group of Five prospect from Southern Methodist University (SMU) of the American Athletic Conference and played for former head coach Chad Morris.
In 2016, Badejo saw action in seven games with the Mustangs: Posting two games of four total tackles including one against a Baylor team ranked No. 23 overall that season.
Badejo, however, saw an increase in production the moment he made his way to Houston as a graduate transfer. Per Wilson, Badejo ended his collegiate career with 80 tackles, 13.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage, 6.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He ended his college career as a four-time All-SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) selection.
His contest versus Arkansas Pine-Bluff showcased the relentless attack mode that has scouts gravitating toward him.
Another game that elevated his stock: The HBCU Legacy Bowl as he said in this interview with Locked on Texans:
Badejo never received an invite to the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. However, he ran his 40-yard dash in 4.80 and bench pressed 19 times during the Texas Southern Pro Day held on April 10.
Badejo then won over national scout Jacob Infante.
There’s no telling if Badejo will end up as the No. 104 overall pick when the Rams finally make their selection. But, for a team needing pass rushing help, the Rams now have their eyes on the “violent and quick” All-American who will represent the HBCU lineup heading to the league.
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