Rookie defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore caught up with the hosts of Camp Chats on the Colts Audio Network following Saturday night's practice to discuss how he has adjusted to life in the NFL.
Back in April, the Colts took the Northwestern product in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft in hopes of him continuing the lineage of great defensive players to play for the organization.
After a memorable college career, Adebawore blew up the Scouting Combine after running the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds and posting a 37.5" vertical jump, despite his six-foot-2 and 282-pound frame.
While that performance confirmed that Adebawore was one of the top athletes of the draft class, since coming to the NFL, he is surrounded by guys who are not only just as athletic as him but are his size or bigger.
"Guys are a lot better; technique is a lot better," Adebawore said. "Everything is a lot more crisp. Everything is happening faster, so you just have to hone in on your technique every play and continue to get better because these guys are all trying to get better."
Listen to Casey Vallier and Jeffrey Gorman's full interview with Adetomiwa Adeboware. Also, JJ Stankevitz and Matt Taylor break down other storylines from Saturday's practice, on the Camp Chats podcast, which you can listen to on:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- Wherever you get your podcasts
As he continues to get accustomed to the increased level of competition, Adebawore said that he has been picking the brains of his veteran teammates.
"There's obviously a lot of people to look at," Adebawore said. "Starting up front with Grover [Stewart] and Buck - obviously, two of the better defensive tackles in the league. Just kind of watching how they practice every day really helps me."
While Adebawore has been able to gain valuable pointers, he admitted that being too reliant on others can be costly.
"Everyone is doing what they're supposed to do at a high level," Adebawore said. "Everyone is serious about getting themselves right. There are no excuses. You have to take care of yourself and prepare to help yourself to be successful on the field. I feel like whereas in college, sometimes you have to help out a young guy. But not here, you better have that sense of urgency yourself. You shouldn't rely on someone else. That's what I think is the biggest difference, everyone has their own sense of urgency."
