OUTSIDE LINEBACKER OLUWAFEMI OLADEJO
(on his time at UCLA and switching positions from inside linebacker to edge and if he still has potential to develop in that position)
Yeah, my two years at UCLA were great. Shout out to the Bruins. Coach (Brian) Callahan's a Bruin. So a lot of chemistry there. But the move to edge was one that was for the team, and I believe my potential is still very high. I believe I have a lot to achieve.
(on his standout week at the Senior Bowl and the attention he started to get after that experience)
Yeah, I want to appreciate you for acknowledging that. But I think just being able to go back to the basics after the season and really learning what a true edge player is and just going out there and competing. And I think a lot of teams were just intrigued and interested in my potential.
(on what he still has to learn about the edge position)
I think just reading sets, learning when to go power, when to use my finesse. But that will come with development and experience and here being in Nashville.
(on what the Titans told him about the transition to outside linebacker and their plans for him)
They see me as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Come and help the team immediately, whether it's through special teams, rotational player. And just being a guy that can produce and help the team win.
(on what stood out to him about his meetings with the Titans and the pre-draft process and if this was something he expected could happen)
I kind of knew it was a huge possibility. But great meeting, great staff, great personnel. Great city, no state tax. But I'm excited. Great city.
(on his interactions with Dennard Wilson and the style of defense Wilson likes to play
Me and Coach (Dennard) Wilson had a great conversation. Actually, I know the whole system already, due to the fact that it's very similar to where I came from. And we had a great interaction. So, I'm excited to get under his wing and learn.
(on edge players in the league he models his game after)
Yeah, nice to meet you as well. I have a few. I would say you've got T.J. Watt, Danielle Hunter, Maxx Crosby. I've been watching Micah Parsons, Jonathan Greenard, so many guys. And a little bit of Aldon Smith back in the day, so a lot of guys I'm trying to learn from and model my game after.
(on where he was watching the Draft, where he expected to go and what it was like when he got the call)
I'm here in Sacramento, California. That's where I was born and raised. I'm with my mom and my sister and my uncle. And I kind of knew when the 50's came into picture, when y'all traded back or when we traded back, there was an opportunity for me to get selected and it happened.
(on training in Dallas with Brandon Tucker)
My time in Dallas was great, Coach (Brandon) Tucker was great as well. And I was able to really learn the basics of being an edge rusher, all the way back to your stance, to where you're looking at, what you're reading, and how to attack with your best move in mind.
(on what other teams he thought may draft him)
Respectfully, I would say it doesn't even matter, man. We in Tennessee, baby. We're in Tennessee.
(on if his background as an inside linebacker helps him as an edge player)
Yeah, 100 percent. I think it translated a lot. I think the biggest part is the mental side of it. As a Mike, just being able to understand what all 11 on the field are doing and really being able to translate that to the edge and know still what an offense wants to do to you, how an offense want to attack a defense. That all comes from my Mike background. So, I believe it helps me a lot
(on what he remembers from facing Cam Ward in the Pac-12 and how he feels about being teammates now)
Yeah, he's a competitor. I'm excited to call him my teammate. He's a great guy. I remember I picked him off my junior year, but it was all love, man. He's a great guy and I'm excited to call him my teammate.
(on how much the UCLA connection with Brian Callahan can help him in his transition)
I think tremendously. On my 30 visit to Tennessee, we spoke about some mutual friends that we knew and it just kind of made us sink in a little bit. So, I think it's going to help tremendously, I'm excited for it.
(on if he knows any current Titans players especially his new positional teammate Arden Key)
I don't know Arden Key too well, but someone I do know is Tyler Lockett. Funny enough, I spoke to him about a week and a half ago, and we were talking about where he would go. And it's crazy because I mentioned to him, like, 'Man, well, who knows? We might end up in the same city.' And now he's my teammate. That's already a vet I'm going to get under. I already know. So, I'm about to give him a phone call here in a little bit and tell him let's get this thing going.
(on if he dropped in pass coverage any at UCLA or if that's going to be something new to him at the next level)
No, I dropped a lot, and I think that also comes from my Mike background. Because at Mike, a lot of coverage we're playing. So it was very natural to do so at the edge as well.
(on the origin of his name)
That's a great question. Well, it's from Nigeria. It is a Nigerian name, and Oluwafemi, what it means in Yoruba, which is a Nigeria language, or one of them, it means 'God loves me.' And I'm big in my faith, so I definitely feel that love.
(on how many times it's been mispronounced over the years)
Multiple. To the point where actually, funny story, when I was younger, I used to go by Moses. My middle name is Moses, so in elementary school or middle school, anytime we would have a sub, they would have the role list. So, they would come in and it would get to my name, and they'd be like, 'Oh…' 'Just call me Moses." That's what I would say. But eventually I started embracing it and so I go by it now.
