https://bleacherreport.com/articles/100 ... on-state-s
POSITIVES
— Physical safety with very good size and length. Strength is on full display in the run game.
— Good movement skills for his size. Fluid pedal and quick feet in space. Has short-area quickness to cover initial moves in routes.
— High-motor defender who quickly closes space on ball-carriers. Flows to the ball with good feel and vision.
— Strong tackler who fronts up ball-carriers while driving his feet through contact. Effective blitzer who can blitz from interior and off the edge.
— Plays the ball well when able to get his head around and locate it. Above-average ball skills to capitalize.
NEGATIVES
— Lacks the change-of-direction ability to cover shiftier receivers. Can get rocked on his heels in backpedal at times. Tightness can show up in open-field tackling.
— Has good speed but will struggle to carry faster receivers deep. Also has difficulty matching crossing routes through traffic.
— Can panic and face-guard at times when downfield. Rarely able to play through receiver's hands.
OVERALL
Kitan Oladapo was a multi-year starter for the Oregon State secondary. The All-Pac-12 defender boasts great size and strength. He excels in the run game and has enough movement skill to be sufficient in the pass game.
Oladapo is a long-armed defender who has the ideal size to play safety. He's a physical defender who seeks out contact. He plays with a high motor that takes him all over the field. He plays with good instincts to identify plays and quickly react to what he sees.
In the run game, he quickly comes downhill, closing ground before striking ball-carriers. Oladapo isn't afraid to front up and drive his legs through contact, often delivering big hits. Though he isn't afraid to get in the mix, there is tightness that shows up in space, where he can overrun tackles or have trouble redirecting with shiftier ball-carriers.
When playing in the box, Oladapo serves as a great addition in the run game, blitzing from inside and on the edge. His physical strength also comes to light when taking on blocks. He does a good job of discarding receivers and taking on linemen.
As a coverage defender, Oladapo has just enough twitch and speed to cover receivers. He has the foot quickness and change of direction to cover the first move of a route, but he struggles defending double-moves or shifty receivers.
When covering tight ends or bigger slots, Oladapo does a good job of driving on the ball and playing through the hands of receivers. There are too many times in which he decides to face-guard receivers and play their hands, which often leads him to be handsy and panic at times. When he gets his head around to locate the ball, he is able to either deflect the pass or pluck it out of the air with his strong hands and above-average ball skills.
Oladapo's size and physicality should make him a good run defender in the NFL, but his lack of twitch and movement skills are an area of concern. He will have to find a role as a strong safety with the ability to cover tight ends man-to-man and the underneath areas in zone coverage. If he's able to do both, he might carve out a long NFL career.
