Kiran Amegadjie
Kiran Amegadjie

Bears Select OT Kiran Amegadjie at No. 75

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterApril 27, 2024

After sitting on the sidelines through 66 picks, the Bears drafted Yale OT Kiran Amegadjie (Ah-meh-gahd-gee) of Yale with the 75th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Amegadjie has a blend of physical tools that teams covet as a potential high-end starting left tackle. The 6-foot-5, 323-pound lineman is a project pick who could one day supplant Braxton Jones at left tackle. The draft-and-stash prospect attended high school at Hinsdale Central in Illinois and grew up a Bears fan.

My Take: Amegadjie possesses a lot of tools that endear him to Poles, and could surprise once he gets to camp. His long-term potential is enormous, and he could make the 53-man as a swing tackle. His current competition is Aviante Collins. Make no mistake, Amegadjie has the physical and athletic tools to develop into a multi-year starting NFL left tackle, if not this season, certainly in 2025. He has a very high motor, and the perfect build to play left tackle, but he is versatile enough to shift to the right side or play guard. He’s obviously very intelligent having graduated from Yale. I had Amegadjie ranked No. 64 on my board, so he’s a value pick as far as I’m concerned.

Take Note: Amegadjie was an Honorable Mention All-Ivy League Guard in 2023. If he can play on the interior, he has a low-key shot at starting as a rookie.

Our own Rick Leen had Amegadjie ranked ninth among offensive linemen in his positional rankings.

Here’s his final draft analysis per Damian Parson of The Draft Network.

“Amegadjie is a physically gifted and toolsy OT prospect. The Yale standout is an outstanding athlete who fires off the ball with explosiveness. He is a physical and dominant-tempered run blocker. He also has strong hands to latch/grip before torquing and turning his opponents to clear a path for the ball carrier. When engaged, he runs his feet to move his opponent off the ball. He’s scheme-versatile and experienced as a down/gap power and zone concept. Amegadjie is a good double-team run blocker and uses the gallop technique to help against interior defensive linemen before quickly climbing to the second level of the defense.

“Amegadjie has reactive athleticism. If he is beaten early in the rep, he can flip his hips and wash the rusher around the quarterback. It is difficult to bull rush and power through Amegadjie  This is due to his outstanding raw strength and ability to drop his hips to anchor. He showcases good knowledge of defensive line games with patience to pass off those twists and stunts. Amegadjie possesses the lateral foot quickness and agility to mirror/match rushers.”

Strengths (via NFL.com)

  • Outstanding blend of size, athleticism, and length.
  • Road-grading power to clear running lanes with leverage and force.
  • Light on his feet with the ability to get to challenging blocks in space.
  • Hands showed noticeable in-season improvement in pass protection.
  • Loose lower half provides a foundation for NFL anchor strength.
  • Body control and lateral agility allow for consistent mirroring in pass pro.
  • Arms go on for days and will be some of the longest in the draft.
  • Displays impressive torque-and-turn power in his hips as a base blocker.

Weaknesses (via NFL.com)

  • Acclimation to jump into the competition level might take some time.
  • Still needs plenty of work with hand placement and punch timing.
  • Hasn’t learned to reset hands and make the most of his length.
  • Average instincts in recognition of twists.
  • Lacking consistent footwork to square into initial contact with efficiency.
  • Feel for positioning and angles as a run blocker needs work.

Fun Fact

Amegadjie told head coach Matt Eberflus a year ago that the Bears were going to draft him.

Here’s what the ESPN analysts said about Odunze:

  • “Amegadjie is a three-year starter who moved from right guard to left tackle in 2022, and he grades out as a versatile reserve with the traits to develop into a starter at guard if not tackle. His outstanding length and wide frame make it tough to get around him in pass protection. A season-ending quad injury prevented him from testing at the combine, but he moves well on tape. Amegadjie gets off the ball and flashes the ability to move defenders in the run game.” – Steve Muench
  • “The Bears have two good bookends at tackle in Jones and Darnell Wright, but Jones missed six games last season and they needed to address the guard position. Amegadjie has the potential to develop into a starter at guard and can provide depth at tackle.” – Muench
  • NFL Comp: Greg Little
  • ESPN Rank: 114
  • ESPN Grade: 68
  • Last Year’s No. 75 Pick: Zach Harrison
  • Bears’ 2023 3rd-Round Pick: Zacch Pickens
  • Money Quote: “In 10-15 years, people are going to look back on me as the best offensive tackle in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know that for a fact not because of what I’ve done before, but because I know exactly what I’m going to do moving forward. I know how badly I want this, I know how much work I’m going to put in, and I want to be great. I’m a can’t-miss prospect.”
  • But…: Does he hate the Packers? The young lineman was linked heavily to Green Bay since mid-April. That might have been a bitter pill to swallow for Amegadjie and for Bears fans.

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterApril 27, 2024
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