Georgia football: Azeez Ojulari’s NFL Draft stock is soaring after Pro Day

Georgia football star Azeez Ojulari tore it up as his pro day and has seen his 2021 NFL Draft stock rise because of it.

Outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari could be the next NFL star to come out of Kirby Smart’s Georgia football program.

Ojulari was a top-40 NFL Draft prospect heading into his pro day at Georgia. While some analysts such as the NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah had him with an early second-round grade, Ojulari seemed to answer all the questions he needed to at his pro day. Jeremiah and his NFL Network colleague Bucky Brooks were blown away by what they saw out of pass rusher on Wednesday.

“The biggest thing for me is his arms are 34.3 inches, which is ridiculously long,” said Jeremiah on NFL Network’s Path to the Draft. “So I don’t mind the fact that he’s 6-foot-2 and a quarter because you’ve got a chance to leverage people with that length.”

“It was a good number on the bench to show his overall strength. But to me, the way he’s put together and the way he moved on the field, my only questions was a little bit of tightness when you watched him. I thought today he was moving around pretty good.”

While Jeremiah is impressed with what Ojulari brings to the equation, he still has him just outside the first round, but that could be changing over the next six weeks until the draft begins.

“I love pass rushers that know how to finish and that’s what this guy does. He’s a phenomenal finisher and you see it in consistent fashion as you continue to study him. I have him No. 39 on my list right now and the more I watch the more I like. He’s gonna end up moving up that list.”

Brooks sounds a little higher on the Georgia edge defender, ranking the two-year starter as his No. 2 outside linebacker.

“I think the big thing he confirmed today is his overall explosiveness,” said Brooks. “When you put together times, 4.62, 4.66, combined with a broad jump of 10-7 you’re talking about a very explosive player off the edge. And it matches what you see on tape. He’s a speed rusher, he does a great job with the dip-and-rip move, gets home consistently. He’s a very intriguing prospect at this point.”

Azeez Ojulari projects as a first-round lock in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Georgia

During Ojulari’s three-year run at Georgia, he amassed 68 total tackles, 18.5 for a loss, 15 sacks and forced five fumbles. Ojulari was a tremendously productive player for the Dawgs, as well as an instinctive one. While he is not projected to go inside of the top-10 like former Georgia star Leonard Floyd did years before him, Ojulari is expected to go in the first round.

One team that would be a very interesting landing spot for him is the Pittsburgh Steelers who own the No. 24 pick. They need to replace Bud Dupree with a situational pass rusher alongside T.J. Watt. Interestingly enough, Ojulari could be joining the former Kentucky star Dupree in Nashville, as the Tennessee Titans are in need of a revamped pass rush and have the No. 22 overall pick.

What Ojulari did in his pro day ensures that the former Georgia football standout goes in the first round.

For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.