Believe it or not, we are just a few short months away from the XFL draft. With plenty of free agents being invited to the draft pool, there are many who are looking to prove their value to an organization come February. Michael Badejo, a defensive lineman out of Texas Southern, is one of those athletes.
Michael Badejo
94.. #MLFB #XFL
Story will never end!
Contact me! Email in bio, Dm is open!@8nicknovak@CoachBobStoops@reggiebarlow@Anthony_Becht@27TBuck@JimHaslett55@sonofbum@mvp86hinesward@RodWoodson26@TheRock @XFL2023 pic.twitter.com/qjHB6k4Bgj— Michael Badejo🇳🇬 (@TheRealBadejo) August 1, 2022
We had the privilege of catching up with Badejo earlier this week. We learned about his past accomplishments so far, and what the future looks like.
High School & College Career
Michael Badejo played at Timberview High School, filling multiple positions in his time there. Badejo was a quarterback, running back, and also served as a linebacker/defender in his time at the school.
Coming out of HS, Badejo went to Southern Methodist University (SMU). In his 2016 season there, Badejo racked up 13 tackles, 1.5TFL, and a sack. After that two year stint, Michael ended up at Texas Southern. He put up some fantastic numbers, posting 28 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in his senior year. This led to Badejo being awarded with All-SWAC second team honors in 2021.
Michael Badejo ( @Baadejo ) had a GAME against UAPB 🔥🦍
• 4 TFLs
• 2.5 Sacks
• 5 QB Hurries pic.twitter.com/2QW9iYXKEG— For The Culture HBCU (@4theculturehbcu) November 2, 2021
Throughout his college career, Badejo saw his role change quite a bit. After starting out as an offensive and defensive player in high school, Michael shifted solely to a defender in college. There, he settled into an edge rusher role, and has remained as a defensive lineman since.
Professional Career
After graduating from Texas Southern, Badejo has earned the interest of multiple NFL organizations. The Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, and Seattle Seahawks all held workouts with Michael over the past several months.
Michael Badejo: Texas Southern Pro Day highlights 🏈🔥
An #NFLDraft prospect with a rising stock, @TheRealBadejo is receiving interest from multiple teams such as the Titans, Texans, Seahawks, Ravens, Broncos, 49ers, Panthers, Jaguars, and Bears 📈📈 pic.twitter.com/YwXxkkQkkO
— Unfiltered Media ™️ (@UnfilteredInd) April 5, 2022
Badejo was also supposed to play for the MLFB, signing with the Arkansas Attack. He was poised to be one of the league’s best lineman, but unfortunately the MLFB shut down before the regular season even began.
However, the MLFB has led to some great opportunities for Michael. He received an official invite to the XFL draft, which is taking place in November.
Everything Happens For A Reason!
Link in bio!
Thankful for this opportunity!@TheRock pic.twitter.com/NQW2OXOpv6— Michael Badejo🇳🇬 (@TheRealBadejo) August 13, 2022
Badejo now has a chance to join an XFL franchise, and will look to make an impact on a team come February.
Full Interview
Michael Badejo & B1 Collection
Over the spring, Badejo launched a motivational brand titled the “B1 Collection”. His mantra for life revolves around “everything happens for a reason”, which is something that he has embodied into the B1 brand.
If you’d like to check out his clothing & the story behind the B1 organization, you can do so here.
What are your main takeaways from this interview with Michael Badejo? Which XFL team do you want to see him play for in 2023? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
