From Harlem to Eugene, lumbering to explosive, Duck tackle Ajani Cornelius continues his rise

 Ajani Cornelius grew up in Harlem, about as far from football stardom as a 6-5, 325-pound prospective athlete can be.

In football they say you can't coach size. Big and a little blubbery, it was raw size that got young Cornelius out of Harlem initially, invited to play his prep football upstate at Archbishop Stepinac High School, an all-boys Catholic school in White Plains, New York.

Despite being at starter on two 3A Championship teams at Stepinac he wasn't highly recruited, a 0-star prospect with a limited offer list. Lumbering and a bit high in his stance, off-the-radar, he didn't attract much attention coming out of high school. He told Chris Hummer of 247Sports, “It’s how the [weight] was distributed and the makeup of my body.”

Originally he committed to Howard University, but Howard went through a coaching change. That brought Cornelius to the Rhode Island Rams.

He said to Hummer, “It made me work harder not being as recruited as heavily. And I put in the work to change my body and to be in the best shape I could possibly be to play the best football I can play.”

He's now 310 pounds, built differently, able to fire out of his stance and deliver a blow to an opponent.

After three years at RIU, Ajani entered the transfer portal. Within one day he had 17 offers, including the Oregon Ducks. That quickly grew to 24, making him one of the most sought-after prospects in college football among transfers.

After all the work in the gym and on his technique, Cornelius had made himself into a coveted commodity. He'd become explosive, leaner and stronger, starting 22 straight games for the Rams while attaining a PFF grade of 89.5. (PFF stands for Pro Football Focus, an organization that evaluates college football players' film, breaking it down for fundamentals and effectiveness.)

Highest graded returning Pac-12 Offensive Lineman💪 pic.twitter.com/HjZ8g9f9m4

— PFF College (@PFF_College) June 8, 2023

He had scholarship offers from Missouri, Virginia, Washington State, Kansas, West Virginia, Nebraska, Louisville, Syracuse, Minnesota, Indiana, Penn State, Oregon, Auburn, South Carolina, Florida, Maryland, Illinois and Boston College.

He visited Nebraska, Tennessee, Ohio State and Oregon, and on December 21st he chose the Ducks. Cornelius enrolled in January and he's expected to be the starter at right tackle. 

Adjusting to a higher level of football is a big challenge, but meeting the media after the 10th spring practice, he pointed out that he's getting a crash course every day, working against Jordan Burch, Matayo Uiagalalei and Brandon Dorlus. He won't face many opponents that are as quick, strong and imposing as these three. Come September, he'll be ready to open holes for Bucky Irving and protect Bo Nix.