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It’s time to round out Defensive Tackles Week here at Testudo Times. Our summer preview series has already looked at the offense—the quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and offensive line—and defensive ends. The last member of 2018’s crop of defensive tackles is a walk-on that’s played his way into DJ Durkin’s rotation.
Seun Oluwatimi, No. 52
Height: 6’1
Weight: 294 lbs.
Year: Junior
Hometown: Upper Marlboro, Maryland
High school: DeMatha
The background
A local product that played right down the street at DeMatha, Oluwatimi joined the Terps as as a walk-on in the Class of 2016. As expected, he didn’t see the field as a freshman, but cracked the rotation in the fall of 2017 in the opening game.
He notched the first two tackles of his career, including a sack, in the season-opening win over Texas, and a career-high three tackles against Indiana. He’d go on to appear in every game for Maryland, totalling 14 tackles and 1.5 sacks for the year. He was later named to the 2017 Big Ten All-Academic team, majoring, and doing well, in civil engineering.
Oluwatimi should continue to see time in 2018.
After establishing himself as a presence as a sophomore, Oluwatimi should continue to contribute at defensive tackle this season. He became a solid rotational tackle last season and is a member of a defensive tackle group replacing both starters.
He profiles as a traditional defensive tackle, so he’ll primarily line up in the 1-technique and attack the gap between the guard and the center. There’s some more experienced players at the position in Mbi Tanyi, Keiron Howard and Oseh Saine, not to mention the athletic Brandon Gaddy or incoming four-star Austin Fontaine, but snaps are up for the taking. After a year where the Terps had a nonexistent pass rush and were unsuccessful at stopping the run, they’ll need all the help they can get.
There’s a lot of competition for snaps and just how much time he sees may depend on how the rest of the group shakes out, as much as his own play. However, it would be somewhat surprising to watch him fall out of the rotation.