Michael Ojemudia facts for kids
| DC Defenders | |||||||
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| Position: | Cornerback | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | September 12, 1997 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Harrison (Farmington Hills, Michigan) |
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| College: | Iowa (2015–2019) | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2020 / Round: 3 / Pick: 77 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2023 | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Michael Ojemudia (born September 12, 1997) is an American professional football player. He plays as a cornerback for the DC Defenders in the United Football League (UFL). Before joining the UFL, he played college football at Iowa. The Denver Broncos picked Ojemudia in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft.
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Michael Ojemudia's Football Journey
College Years at Iowa
Michael Ojemudia played high school football at Harrison High School in Farmington Hills, Michigan. He decided to play for the Iowa team on January 28, 2015. He chose Iowa over other schools like Indiana and Wyoming.
When he first joined Iowa, Ojemudia was a linebacker. He spent his first year as a "redshirt" player, meaning he practiced with the team but did not play in games. This allowed him to gain experience without using up a year of his college eligibility.
After his redshirt year, the coaches moved him to cornerback. He played in every game during his second year. He started some games in his third year and improved a lot. By his senior year, he was a permanent starter. After his final college season, Ojemudia took part in the 2020 Senior Bowl and the 2020 NFL Combine. These events help professional teams evaluate college players.
Becoming a Pro Football Player
Pre-Draft Process
After his senior year at Iowa, Michael Ojemudia decided to enter the 2020 NFL draft. He was invited to show his skills at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine. At first, many experts didn't think he would be drafted very high. However, his strong performance at the Senior Bowl helped him get noticed. He also participated in the NFL Combine on March 1, 2020.
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0+5⁄8 in (1.84 m) |
200 lb (91 kg) |
32+1⁄4 in (0.82 m) |
8+7⁄8 in (0.23 m) |
4.45 s | 1.56 s | 2.62 s | 4.21 s | 6.87 s | 36.0 in (0.91 m) |
10 ft 2 in (3.10 m) |
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| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
Time with the Denver Broncos
2020 Rookie Season
The Denver Broncos picked Ojemudia in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft. He was the 77th player chosen overall. In his first training camp, Ojemudia earned a starting job as a cornerback. He played alongside experienced players like A. J. Bouye and Bryce Callahan.
Ojemudia made his first NFL start in the Broncos' first game of the season. In Week 6, he forced his first career fumble against the New England Patriots. This helped his team win the game. In Week 15, he was ejected from a game against the Buffalo Bills. In Week 17, he forced two more fumbles against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Overall, Ojemudia played in all 16 games during his rookie season, starting 11 of them. He made 62 tackles, defended six passes, and forced four fumbles. He played in 78% of the team's defensive plays.
2021 Season
In his second year, Ojemudia faced more competition for playing time. He was listed as the fifth cornerback on the team's depth chart. On September 1, 2021, he was placed on injured reserve due to an injury. He returned to play on December 11.
Ojemudia played in two games during the 2021 season. In the final game against the Kansas City Chiefs, he started and had a great performance. He recorded eight tackles and defended two passes.
2022 Season
Before the 2022 season, Ojemudia competed for a starting cornerback spot. He was named the fourth cornerback on the team's depth chart. On August 31, he was placed on injured reserve again. He was activated on October 17. The Broncos later waived him on December 27, 2022.
Other NFL Teams
After leaving the Broncos, Ojemudia was claimed by the Chicago Bears on December 28, 2022. He was waived by the Bears in August 2023.
On September 21, 2023, Ojemudia joined the practice squad of the Los Angeles Rams. He became a free agent after the season.
He then signed a contract with the Arizona Cardinals on January 30, 2024. However, he was waived by them on August 26.
Joining the DC Defenders
On January 23, 2025, Michael Ojemudia signed with the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL).
Career Statistics
Regular season
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Comb | Solo | Ast | Sck | Sfty | PD | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FF | FR | ||
| 2020 | DEN | 16 | 11 | 62 | 55 | 7 | 0.0 | — | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2021 | DEN | 2 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0.0 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 18 | 12 | 73 | 63 | 10 | 0.0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
About Michael's Life
Michael Ojemudia's father, Dennis, was born in Nigeria and later moved to the United States. He works as an engineer for Ford Motor Company. Michael studied mechanical engineering at Iowa. He hopes to work in the auto industry after his football career.
Michael's older brother, Mario, also played college football at Michigan. Mario now works for the Denver Broncos in their corporate partnerships department.
In high school, Ojemudia was also a talented track athlete. He was an all-state athlete in the 110-meter hurdles.
