A top-tier prospect in the Great State of Minnesota, 6’5, 230 lb. All-Conference DE Ajibola Afuye is on a short list of Minnesotans who have been consistently on the radar of the in-state Minnesota Gophers. He is invited to their upcoming Junior Day as well as legitimately possessing a chance to earn the coveted in-state B1G offer, and that’s no surprise given the frame, size, and athleticism displayed in his junior film. Afuye went form a 6’3-6’4, 210 lb. sophomore to a near 6’5, 230+ lb. junior 6A defensive end who exploded onto the D1 recruiting scene thanks to his strong play with the Ponies in 2024. This is where his relationship with the Golden Gophers began, as word quickly spread about the mystery defensive end coming out of Stillwater High School. The likes of NDSU, Kansas State, Kansas, Iowa State, and South Dakota visited Stilly to meet Afuye this offseason, and the DE also visited Fargo for the Bison’s junior day as well. The issue is that the size and athleticism need to be confirmed with both testing and in-person evals and workouts, so I’ll be working my tail off to get this kid to the upcoming PRZMN spring showcase. I think Afuye is going to have to prove it, and potentially blow up, on the offseason and summer camp circuit.

The junior tape, in which Afuye totaled 60 tackles, 6 TFLs, 4 sacks, one blocked FG, and 2 PBUs, shows a standup EDGE who can align as far as a WIDE9 along the LOS, also puts his hands in the dirt and operates and finds work as a 5T. He looks flexible and shows good pad level in his stance and off the snap, owns loose hips that he can unlock to beat OTs at the top of the arc and a strong base when he drops his hips and sets his feet. He’s twitchy, shows good initial pop and does a good job of setting and defending the edge with proper leverage, and his long arms and bounce helped him block a FG attempt last season. Afuye does a good job of not getting tied up by blockers around the LOS and using his hands to shock and shed OTs and TEs. Does a good job of locking out his arms and creating separation to hold OL at bay when reading and finding the rock. uses his strong hands and active arm usage to then shed and tackle at or behind the LOS. He displays quick lateral agility and can read, anticipate, and cut past incoming OL and pulling blockers to win 1v1s with quickness, and he reacts to offensive run concepts and oncoming blockers effectively in run support. His noticeable body control catches the eye and flashes tons of athleticism, he does a great job of executing twists and stunts and can cover a ton of ground with quick, concise movements laterally off the snap, and is a physical tackler and goes all-out into contact and laid some big hits on helpless QBs in 2024. His length and athleticism are an asset and he’s always looking to create a big hit or crushing collision. I’m itching and scratching to get this kid on the microscope ASAP.

Another fun combination of a Breakout Star/Stock riser, Stillwater’s standout DE Ajibola Afuye Ajibola Afuye 6'4" | 230 lbs | DL Stillwater | 2026 State MN put on a couple inches and around 20 pounds this past offseason, propelling himself from a 6’4, 200 lber. into some premier measurables at one of football’s most important and sought-after positions after a 2023 sophomore season spent in the JV ranks. Now a 6’5, 225 lb. 6A, Big School defensive end who put together some solid production in his first year on varsity – totaling 53 tackles, 5 TFLs, a sack, 2 PBUs, and 1 blocked kick -Division 1 football programs have been taking notice of Afuye since the season kicked off. Since September, Wisconsin, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, North Dakota State, Minnesota, and Michigan State have all reached out with gameday invites, a great sign in a young prospect’s budding recruitment. It’s also one of the best recruiting hauls (attention-wise) of any prospect in Minnesota this fall, and Afuye has taken visits to Minnesota, UNI, and Iowa State in what has been a busy past couple of months for the Stillwater product.

The film shows off a long, mobile, and physical defensive end who is positionally versatile as a standup EDGE – sometimes aligning as a WIDE9 – who can put his hand in the dirt and slide down to a 5T if needed. The noticeable and significant length is very exciting. Afuye blocked a kick on a FG by sticking his massive mitts into the air without even jumping, and he uses that length to hold linemen at bay once he locks out his arms. He can also long arm and shed blocks due to the space he creates when he extends. The 225 lber. does a good job of locating and sniffing out the football and not getting tied up in traffic, also strong enough to hold a gap through contact. He is laterally quick, a strong tackler, shows a high motor, and can unlock his hips and bend tight off a OTs backside. He comes flat down the LOS and closes quickly enough to make TFLs in the backfield as the backside defensive lineman and his long legs and shows top-end speed for his size when he opens up his gait. I want to see that sack number rise, but Afuye is still raw, and there’s a noticeable foundation of a pass rushing skillset already present. The length, quickness, and hips make me excited about his upside projecting to the next level. Obviously athletic, no problems playing with physicality, and has a great frame that grow into monstrous proportions. Keep a close eye on the Stillwater Pony this offseason on the recruiting trail.