Oklahoma Sooners EDGE Adepoju "P.J." Adebawore is having a breakout season on one of college football's top defenses. Adebawore came to Norman with huge expectations, as a five-star and one of the country's top prospects.
However, his career started slowly. He battled some injuries and totaled just 27 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and five sacks in his first three seasons. He had shown flashes of being one of the better run-stopping EDGEs in college football, but he hadn't taken the next step as a pass rusher.
That was until this season. Adebawore has 19 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and four sacks up to this point. He's coming off one of his best performances of his career, totaling 1.5 sacks in Oklahoma's 23-15 win over the Mississippi State
Bulldogs. That ties him for the most sacks in a game in his career.
"I think I played well," Adebawore said via SoonerScoop. "Ultimately, I still have to be better in all areas of my game. I mean, productivity-wise, I definitely played well. But I'm still leaving some plays out there."
Adebawore's increased production has been a significant development for an Oklahoma defense that relies on consistent pressure from its edge rushers. His four sacks this season already represent a career high, and his performance against Mississippi State showed how disruptive he can be when he wins his matchups. With his physical tools and improving pass-rush ability, he gives offenses another player to account for when building their production schemes.
The next step for Adebawore will be turning those flashes into consistent production against the rest of Oklahoma's SEC schedule. His own assessment makes clear that he believes there is still room to improve, even as the results begin to match the expectations that followed him to Norman. If he continues developing as a pass rusher while maintaining his effectiveness against the run, Adebawore could become an increasingly important force on one of the nation's top defenses.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Adepoju Adebawore sees room to grow after strong performance
