2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Oregon OT Ajani Cornelius

From now till the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as doable, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and what they will convey to an NFL franchise. These gamers might be potential top-10 picks, Day 3 alternatives, or precedence undrafted free brokers. At the moment, a scouting report on Oregon OT Ajani Cornelius.

No. 65 Ajani Cornelius/OT Oregon – 6045, 310 kilos (Redshirt Senior)

MEASUREMENTS

The Good

– First rate athletic capability
– Places himself in positions to win as a zone blocker
– Wins constantly in huge zone
– First rate grip energy however inconsistent
– First rate play energy
– Doesn’t drive defenders downhill however controls them on the level of assault
– Good hand positioning, all the time suits inside
– Used successfully as a puller
– Assaults the second degree with good method

The Dangerous

– Must be quicker getting out in area and finding task
– Inconsistent anchor
– Can get bull-rushed by sturdy cross rushers
– Loses to fast swim strikes by lunging as a run blocker
– Weaker arms that may get chopped
– Can overset and quit inside strikes in cross safety
– Must decide to attacking first in cross safety
– Fast spin strikes in cross safety give him hassle
– Restoration capability wants work
– Small body for an NFL deal with
– Exhibits low effort within the display sport

Bio

– Began 28 video games at Oregon throughout two years after transferring from Rhode Island, the place he began 22 video games throughout two years
– 2024: allowed 3 sacks, 4 QB hits, and 22 hurries in 526 cross block snaps
– Named Second-Workforce All-Massive Ten
– Obtained AFCA All-American Honors
– 2023: allowed 0 sacks, 1 QB hit, and 10 hurries in 541 cross block snaps
– Named Honorable Point out All-Pac 12
– Named Preseason All-Pac 12
– 2022: allowed 1 sack, 2 QB hits, and three hurries in 399 cross block snaps
– Named CAA All-Convention First Workforce
– Zero-star prospect out of Archbishop Stepinac
– Led his group to back-to-back state championships in New York Metropolis Excessive Faculty Soccer League 3A in 2017 and 2018
– Chosen because the Catholic Excessive Faculty Soccer League AAA Offensive Lineman of the Yr
– In July 2024, Cornelius held a “Back2School Jamboree,” which gave underprivileged college students bookbags and different faculty provides

Tape Breakdown

The phrase I might use to explain Ajani Cornelius’ sport is inconsistent, which is smart when his background. He’s a low-recruited prospect who began enjoying FBS soccer 2 years in the past. He reveals good flashes that may translate to the NFL however wants to enhance these abilities down-to-down.

As a run blocker, he impresses me as a zone blocker, particularly in huge zone performs requiring him to dam a defender to stop them from attending to the ball provider. He has the athleticism to cross gaps and use his good physique positioning to present the ball provider a window to run by way of. He makes use of his spectacular reach-blocking abilities constantly and can be greatest used as a large zone deal with or guard who can wall off huge defenders. On this play as the best deal with, he reach-blocks the 3-technique that ends in a win.

In hole scheme, he’s serviceable however not a optimistic participant. What worries me about Cornelius’ sport is his play energy, and he won’t ever drive a defender down the sector. He’s all the time holding them up and utilizing his physique positioning to win. It is a good and dangerous factor, because it reveals he is aware of what he has to do and what leverage will work in his favor, but it surely reveals that he doesn’t have that uncooked energy to be a sport wrecker on hole runs. There are some performs the place Cornelius will get his head down, lunges, and is overwhelmed by a fast swim transfer.

He doesn’t react effectively to fast strikes from a defensive lineman, and he can get misplaced within the shuffle with out blocking anybody. He shows good method when attending to the second degree, however his aggressiveness is worrisome. Most offensive linemen get joyous when getting to dam a smaller linebacker or defensive again, however his low sense of urgency offers me the sensation he isn’t a cranium crusher. Within the display sport, he shows sluggish lateral and vertical pace, paired with effort that wants work.

This drawback reveals up constantly on movie, as proven within the play beneath.

In cross safety, Cornelius reveals his inconsistency with good flashes. One of the best factor he can do is get hands-on early, as he has the grip energy to manage the defender all through the snap. Pairing that together with his good hand placement, he wins most of these reps when his arms get on early. Nonetheless, his play energy reveals up negatively as a cross protector, as his arms can get chopped by a handsy rusher. When he can not get his arms on rapidly, the defender swipes his arms away and might get to the quarterback. His weak arms must get stronger to carry up when he doesn’t get arms on early.

Fast swim strikes or jab steps from an edge rusher can provide him hassle, and he can overset versus a speedy rusher, resulting in him giving up inside strikes. His restoration capability and hand combating must turn out to be extra constant to outlive in 1v1 cross safety.

Once more, his anchor may be very inconsistent towards a bull rush. On some performs, he does an excellent job of sinking in his stance and holding up effectively, however there are others the place he will get blown again into the quarterback. Bettering decrease physique energy and gaining a extra constant anchor will assist him towards highly effective rushers.

Conclusion

Whereas Ajani Cornelius has numerous flaws in his sport, the flashes he reveals can be sufficient for a group to draft him. Solely enjoying FBS soccer for two years, there’s numerous potential to be tapped into. Each flaw that I listed above, he additionally reveals good flashes in these areas, and if they are often maximized with good teaching, he could be a strong starter within the NFL. Due to his smaller measurement, he will also be kicked inside and play guard, the place he could be lined up extra in cross safety whereas additionally maximizing his zone run-blocking capability. My comp for him is Dan Moore Jr.

Projection: Late Day 2
Depot Draft Grade: 7.6 – Third Spherical (Potential Starter/Good Backup)
Video games Watched: vs Ohio State (common season – 2024), at Michigan (2024), vs Penn State (2024), vs Ohio State (playoff – 2024)