North KC grad turns heads at Combine, talks about possibility of being drafted by Chiefs
NFL prospects and their families will be among the tens of thousands of people who will descend on Kansas City for next month’s draft.
For Northwestern defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore and his loved ones, they’re already familiar with Union Station, where the draft will be held April 27-29.
Adebawore played at North Kansas City High School, and hearing his name called at Union Station would be a dream come true.
“That’d be everything,” Adebawore said Wednesday at the Combine in Indianapolis. “I mean, I grew up right next to that place, like literally.
“Man, it’s truly a blessing, because I wasn’t thinking about the Combine when I got out of high school. It was just, ‘Gotta go get my degree and play football and play hard.’ And then, I got the opportunity. I’m trying to take full advantage of it. So it’s really been a blessing.”
Adebawore, who is 6 foot 2 and 280 pounds, turned heads in Indianapolis with an official 4.49-second time in the 40-yard dash.
Adebawore, who goes by “Tomi,” had the fastest 40-yard dash time in Combine history for player who weighs 280 or more pounds, according to CBS Sports’ Doug Clawson.
The NFL’s prospect guide says Adebawore would be a “good backup with the potential to develop into starter.” But Peter Schrager of the NFL Network believes Adebawore’s draft stock jumped this week.
“There’s a player that I had gotten a little buzz on before the Combine drills but then blew them out of the water to the point where he might have worked his way into a first-round selection,” Schrager said on “Good Morning Football.” “His name is Adetomiwa Adebawore and he’s out of Northwestern and he’s a pass rusher and came into the Combine after having a fantastic Senior Bowl week.
“Kansas City guy, says his goal when he got to the Senior Bowl is that he wants to be a first-round pick in Kansas City come April. And that was not a reality going into the Senior Bowl. Two amazing performances: Senior Bowl all week, Combine interviews all week, and then he’ll do his pro day, he’ll do the visits and we’ll see how it goes. But there’s a guy who was viewed as maybe a Day 2, third-, fourth-round guy maybe a little earlier late second. Maybe he worked his way into a first-round selection.”
The Chiefs hold the 31st and final pick of the first round of the NFL Draft (the Dolphins forfeited their first-round pick), and by all accounts could be looking for help on the defensive line.
Adebawore, who said he’ll be in Kansas City but wasn’t sure if he’ll be at the draft, would jump at the chance to join the Super Bowl-champion Chiefs. But he’ll be happy just to be in the NFL.
“Oh man, that’d be exciting to play from my hometown team,” said Adebawore, who added he has met with the Chiefs. “I know everyone would be excited to play for their hometown team. So that’d truly be a blessing. But I want to play for the team that wants me.”
This story was originally published March 3, 2023 at 10:44 AM.
