Esezi Otomewo

Former defensive lineman at Minnesota. 2021: 3 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, 30 tackles.

DL · Minnesota · Jr. · #9

6′6″ · 285 lb · Indianapolis, IN

CFB Index 23 · #329 of 370 edge rushersLow confidenceMinnesota — drafted 2022, Rd 5, Pick 22, #165 overall

The story

Former defensive lineman at Minnesota. 2021: 3 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, 30 tackles.

Signed as a 2-star recruit to Homestead in 2017.
Drafted round 5 by the Minnesota in 2022.

His career, year by year

Recruiting

2★

WDE recruit

No. 2917 nationally · Signed with Homestead

No college snaps yet.

His career numbers, season by season

How it ended

Four seasons at Minnesota, 6 sacks — drafted at #165 overall by Minnesota.

His career

He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.

2017

Signed with Minnesota3-star out of Ben Davis
Recruited2-star out of Homestead

2022

Drafted by Minnesotaround 5, pick 165

Career arc

Recruit

★★★

#1551 national

CFB

College

Minnesota

2018–2021

NFL

NFL Draft

R5 · #165

Minnesota · 2022

Coaching lineage · 2018–2021

1 coach

2018–2021

P.J. Fleck

Minnesota

Played his entire career under P.J. Fleck.

Where He Ended Up · NFL

MinnesotaEntering 5th NFL season

#165Rd 5 · Pick 22

MinnesotaEntering 5th NFL season

View college career stats ↓

2021 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

4 seasons under P.J. Fleck — 30-16 over that span.

2018Minnesota7-6HC: P.J. Fleck · Run-leaning

2019Minnesota11-2HC: P.J. Fleck · Run-heavy

2020Minnesota3-4HC: P.J. Fleck · Run-heavy

2021Minnesota9-4HC: P.J. Fleck · Run-heavy

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

23Below cohort / limited sample #329 of 370?

Medium confidence6 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: qb hurries (90th percentile). Strength: sacks (86th percentile). Concern: passes defended (19th percentile).

Box-score production (6)

QB hurries#213 / 2743 · 90th pct

Sacks#346 / 2743 · 86th pct

3.0

Tackles for loss#688 / 2743 · 73rd pct

4.5

Solo tackles#873 / 2743 · 67th pct

Tackles#1381 / 2743 · 49th pct

Passes defended#1695 / 2743 · 19th pct

Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.

Splits & context

Splits · Per-game

2021 season · 10 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home6g	3.2	0.2	0.2	0.0
Road4g	2.0	0.2	0.0	0.0

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-74g	3.0	0.6	0.2	0.0
Weeks 8+6g	2.5	0.0	0.0	0.0

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

P.J. Fleck

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2021

Part-time starter

Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

23 · #329 of 370 edge rushers

Three-star recruit. Now #329 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2021	Minnesota	30	24	4.5	3.0	--	--	--
2020	Minnesota	15	11	1.0	1.0	--	--	--
2019	Minnesota	22	6	5.0	2.5	--	--	--
2018	Minnesota	12	7	1.0	0.0	--	--	--
Career		79	48	11.5	6.5	--	--	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 13 · 2021

W 23–13

vs Wisconsin

3 TOT · 2 SOLO

With T. Morgan — 199 yds · 1 TD · 1 INT · QBR 80.5 · -11 rush yds (5 car) · M. Irving — 39 rush yds (12 car)

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2021 season · 10 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	TKL	SOLO	TFL	SACK	INT	Note
Wk 2	W 31-26vs Miami (OH)	3	2	0.0	0.0	—
Wk 4	L 10-14vs Bowling Green	1	1	0.0	0.0	—
Wk 5	W 20-13@ Purdue	4	4	1.0	0.0	—
Wk 7	W 30-23vs Nebraska	4	2	1.5	1.0	—
Wk 8	W 34-16vs Maryland	3	2	0.0	0.0	—
Wk 9	W 41-14@ Northwestern	2	2	0.0	0.0	—
Wk 10	L 6-14vs Illinois	5	4	0.0	0.0	—	Season-high 5 tackles
Wk 11	L 22-27@ Iowa	1	1	0.0	0.0	—
Wk 12	W 35-14@ Indiana	1	1	0.0	0.0	—
Wk 13	W 23-13vs Wisconsin	3	2	0.0	0.0	—
Total		27	21	2.5	1.0	—

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology