What Olu Oluwatimi brings to the Seattle Seahawks

Olu Oluwatimi wasn’t with Michigan long but had an immediate impact from the moment he set foot on campus.

A transfer from Virginia, Oluwatimi started 35 games during his career with the Cavaliers. His best season at Virginia came in 2021, where he was named Second Team All-ACC and had the second-best run-blocking grade by Pro Football Focus. Oluwatimi did not allow a quarterback hit or sack in 2021.

After being named Rimington Trophy finalist in ‘21, Oluwatimi’s 2022 season at Michigan was even better and he won the ward, which goes to the best center in the nation. That wasn’t the only award Oluwatimi won last season — he also was the Outland Trophy Winner (best interior lineman), a Consensus All-American, and an All-Big Ten selection.

NFL Combine Results

• Height: 6-2
• Weight: 309
• 40-Yard Dash: 5.38
• Vertical Jump: 29’’
• Broad Jump: 9’ 2”
• Bench Press: 29

Pros

• Durable with lots of experience. Over 3,400 snaps in college.
• Part of a Joe Moore Award-winning Michigan offensive line.
• Teammates credited Oluwatimi’s pre-snap recognition of opposing defenses.
• Didn’t lose many battles in pass protection or run blocking.
• Great at pulling on runs.
• Uses leverage well. Squares defenders up often and maintains his center of balance.

Cons

• Had an up-and-down week at the Senior Bowl
• Average length
• May not have as much success laterally in the NFL

Do your homework

Check out this video breakdown of Oluwatimi by Dan Plocher.

Plocher’s Point of View

Olu Oluwatimi’s best games in 2022 were also Michigan’s best games, and that’s no accident. Early and often the Wolverines ran straight up the gut through massive holes made by Oluwatimi and the guard next to him. By the end of the season, he was the best player on the best offensive line in the country. That’s why he won the Rimington and Outland Trophies and the unit became the first to ever win back-to-back Joe Moore Awards.

Conclusion

Oluwatimi is a smart and savvy football player who can become a second quarterback on the field for an offense in the ways he diagnoses what a defense is doing. Scouts are skeptical that Oluwatimi can consistently win as a run blocker in the pros and create sizable enough holes. Scouts also become enamored with length and lower body strength, both of which are average for Oluwatimi. However, there’s a lot to like about Olu. He’s a leader and will work hard to continue improving his craft — winning the Rimington Trophy and Outland Trophy wasn’t a fluke. Oluwatimi will likely be drafted somewhere between the third and fifth rounds, which is a bargain when factoring in potential upside here.