Thats not easy to do. Speed . . What makes Ojabos athletic talent worth a first-round selection, even if he wont be available right away? Already, Ojabo has produced at a high clip and he isnt even close to his ceiling from an executional standpoint. That length provides a dangerous conduit for power. He would drop soccer for football, which certainly made sense for him considering his athletic profile. He latched onto football during his junior year of high school and quickly grew into a four-star recruit. If that's the case, the good news is that edge rusher is one of the deepest positions in the 2022 NFL draft class. Ojabo had 42 pressures, 11 sacks, 12. Also helping his cause is that Michigan has produced edge defenders at the NFL level at a markedly high rate. . Every prospect that I have scouted thus far made important contributions as a freshman or sophomore and had promising expectations entering their draftable years. Ojabo has always had the talent. If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. With hardly any snaps to his name entering the year, he was on no ones radar. If you are, youre lying. Lets take a closer look at his 2022 NFL Draft scouting report to find out. Feb. 28 will include medical examinations and team interviews. Appeared in all six games on special teams and played linebacker in three, recording one singular tackle In pursuit, he swoops down on ball carriers with his burst and wingspan, and hes shown to take effective angles in space as well. It almost defies logic how quickly Ojabo broke onto the college football stage. At a premier position like EDGE, that kind of player is very much worth stashing for a bargain price. Moreover, his hands can stall quickly at times when he doesnt win off his natural traits. David Ojabo Scouting Report by Justin Trevisani. Its reasonable to suggest that if Ojabo fully recovers, he has the highest ceiling in the 2022 NFL Draft EDGE class. Right away, Ojabos high-level physical tools stand out on film. This year, it is David Ojabo who was born in Nigeria and moved to the United States for his high school years after spending some time in Scotland. Its not that David Ojabo is incapable or lacks strength. Just scratching the surface of his physical capabilities Ojabo helped lead Michigan to the College Football Playoff where they lost to Georgia in the Semifinal. Explosive two-point stance rusher with very good length. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. The Baltimore Ravens are well set up in the 2022 NFL draft with 10 selections total, including nine in the first four rounds. When Ojabo gets into the backfield, he hits hard and doesnt miss a lot. Wolverines linebacker David Ojabo in Round 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft with the No. By seasons end, he was a frequent first-round selection in 2022 NFL Mock Drafts. What Would It Cost the Raiders to Move Up to No. Hell also likely get asked a bit about his openness to playing in different roles and positions in the NFLs variety of defensive schemes. Draft Year 2022. Please check your email for a confirmation. David Ojabo - EDGE - Michigan - 2023 NFL Draft Profile and Stats. He was a track star, with a personal-best 100-meter dash time of 10.93 (for reference, Devin Hester had a 10.62 in college). But theres still a sense that he could crack the first 32 picks, even if hes likely to miss his entire rookie campaign. Ojabo was considered a potential top-10 pick in this year's NFL draft before he suffered the injury in a positional drill on March 18 and crashed to the ground, where he clutched his left leg in . His play strength also isnt elite. Ravens 2022 draft prospect profile: EDGE David Ojabo Schedule Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC West. Average ankle flexion prevents him from turning tight corners at the top of his rush. Ojabo looks the part and has put enough splash plays on tape to really buy in. How the Baltimore Ravens nailed the 2022 draft. Once in pursuit, his length and explosiveness make him hard to evade. David Ojabo was born in Nigeria and moved to Aberdeen in Scotland at the age of seven. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Ojabo needs to add strength to his frame to be a more effective run defender and improve his power rushes. His speed causes tackles to be off-balance, allowing him to extend and knock them off balance at the top of the rush. Early years [ edit] Ojabo was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and moved to Aberdeen, Scotland with his family in 2007. But hes shown he can win against collegiate opponents on his physical traits alone. Ojabo had 42 pressures, 11 sacks, 12 tackles for a loss, and 35 tackles in Mike Macdonalds first year coaching the Michigan defense. MORE: The 10 most intriguing prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class. Ojabo was born in Nigeria and then moved to Aberdeen, Scotland, in 2007. Most notably, Ojabos hands are still a work in progress. He was a first team All-Big Ten selection as well as becoming the program record holder for forced fumbles in a season (five). His inexperience can be viewed as a weakness, but coaching staffs are going to love the potential of Ojabo, and its not like he wasnt productive in 2021 - he had 11 sacks. March 1 will be mainly about the ortho exam and media interviews. If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of, - which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections - to our. MLB. For Ojabo to explode like this is extremely impressive considering the lack of meaningful reps he received his first two years at Michigan. College Michigan Wolverines. That coveted linear progression will entice teams to invest in his development. Ojabo possesses a great get-off and burst to consistently threaten and win the outside shoulder of tackles from wide alignments. Free shipping for many products! He played Soccer, basketball exclusively and ran track until 2017 when he played football competitively for the first time. Ojabo has the ideal frame to play the outside linebacker spot in a 3-4 scheme. Came to Blair Academy in his sophomore year and participated in soccer and basketball before taking up football as a junior He could also improve his efficiency of motion in space. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2022 Chronicles Contenders Optic Draft Picks College Ticket David Ojabo RC #21 at the best online prices at eBay! His average ankle flexion prevents him from turning tight corners. Has appeared in 20games during his career with eightstarts Ojabos play against the run improved with more play time (who wouldve thought, right) and he ended up making more plays in run defense as the season went on. At 65, 250 pounds, Ojabo has impressive length and a fairly dense frame while running like a sprinter, Excellent acceleration as an edge rusher - can hit top speed in a flash, Impressive lateral movement with a surprising arsenal of moves for a player with so little top-level football experience, Super twitch athlete with range and long arms to snag quarterbacks, Very good in run support and wraps up runners with ease, Catches backs from behind with speed and quickness, A former track star at high school - who ran a 10.83 100 meter dash. 45 spot, where theres no guarantee that he reaches. You don't currently have any notifications. Not only is Ojabo explosive off the snap, but he moves extremely well for someone his size. Along with the spin move, Ojabo likes to utilize the cross chop on the outside. Has showcased the ability to run with backs and tight ends in coverage, Has only 620 snaps played in 20 total college games in his career, still extremely raw . Latest on LB David Ojabo including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on NFL.com . Michigan's David Ojabo could still be available when the . The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Ojabo is still projected to be an excellent NFL player, and the Ravens have acquired a first-round talent with a second-round pick, even if he doesn't recover in time to . Ojabo spent most of his childhood in Nigeria and Scotland, moving to the United States as a teenager to pursue athletics. 1 Overall Pick? He shows quality bend coming off the edge and has shown time and time again the capability to duck under tackles and beat them with pure speed. He only played 26 defensive snaps in 2020 for the Wolverines, but his snaps increased to 534 through 14 games in 2021. CNN Illustration/Getty Images. Ojabos improvement week to week during his junior season has been admirable. Practice mock drafts with our FREE Dynasty Draft Simulator >>, Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio. Thus, he can be suffocated by stronger tackles. He ran a 10.93 100-meter dash in high school, a 4.55 40-yard dash at the Combine and can beat tackles to the corner and. Will cede ground when he stands up against blockers in run defense Ojabo can accelerate quickly while reducing his surface area and pinching the corner. Michigan edge rusher David Ojabo at No. In high school, Ojabo quickly distinguished himself as an elite athlete. And in some mocks, he even rose over his teammate Hutchinson, whos now the favorite to be the No. Below, we look at Morris's time at Michigan, what scouts like about his game, drawbacks to his scouting profile and preview their week at the Combine. He possesses elite lateral agility, which helps him keep an effective spin move in his arsenal. Pro Football Network, LLC. Track star in high school who won the 2018 prep state title in the 100-meter dash with a personal-best time of 10.93 seconds The early first-round talk is now likely moot after Ojabos injury. *Percentile calculated on how any given stat would rank at the NFL combine
David Ojabo (born May 17, 2000) is a Scottish - Nigerian American football outside linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). I reached out to my cousin, Phil Johnson: Papadopoulos Family Director of Athletic Training (Football) about Ojabo and his injury status of which he said: That is a tough injury. His sophomore season he played mostly on special teams and saw a little bit of game action. Ojabo earned first-team All-Big Ten in 2021 and second-team All-Big Ten in 2020. Wasnt a full-time defender in his final season, still coming off the field on some obvious run downs Edge rusher David Ojabo was just about to secure his future, only to have it derailed at the last minute by a ruptured Achilles during his Pro Day. Possesses an explosive closing burst bearing down on the play. A former four-star recruit from Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey, Ojabo was the seventh-ranked recruit in the great state of New Jersey during the 2019 cycle. Fast up the field, very sudden, and displays tremendous quickness off the snap. It doesnt hurt that his arms look like they drop to his shoes. He frequently forces an outside track rush when blockers already overset. Ojabos frame is made even more dangerous by the exceptional athleticism contained within it. As you can see in the clip above, Ojabo is a fluid pass rusher having the movement skills paired with a diverse pass rush repertoire to win against offensive tackles. Check out this inside spin on the RT from Indiana that Ojabo whips for the strip sack in the pocket. 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: David Ojabo. When locking out, Ojabo is susceptible to getting snatched. The team that does select Ojabo in Round 1 claims that invaluable fifth-year option, which provides extra time and flexibility to extend talented players. (46%*), 122 (C)
Hes an explosive pass rusher who can play in a variety of systems and has enough athleticism to be used both in space and at the line of scrimmage. When I asked Phil Johnson about Ojabo the player and person, he had this to say: Hes a great dude. Ojabo draws attention in droves with his eye-popping pass-rushing reps. Consensus four-star prospect and a top five prospect overall in the state of New Jersey He is a fantastic mover in space for weighing 250lb, covering ground in a hurry like his track background would suggest. He had a four-star rating and was the fourth best prospect in New Jersey. Did not see any game action and redshirted as a freshman in 2019 Born in Nigeria and moved to Aberdeen, Scotland, in 2007 before coming to the U.S. for high school From our Start/Sit Assistant - which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections - to our Trade Analyzer - which allows you to instantly find out if a trade offer benefits you or your opponent - we've got you covered this fantasy football season. The hype around Ojabo had crescendoed to unforeseen levels before his injury. However, Burns was more refined as a pass rusher coming out, and I settled on the combination of current Giant Azeez Ojulari and Colt Yannick Ngakoue. But even with an Achilles tear on his report, the 22-year-old is still a worthy candidate for a first-round pick. In light of his meteoric rise, can Michigan Wolverines DE David Ojabo break into Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft with his scouting report? The 2022 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. A raw player, Ojabo does not read tackles and attack what they offer to him, wasting rushes. He signed with Michigan in July of 2018 and enrolled the following spring. If he slips into Round 2, he shouldnt last long beyond that. Ojabo projects as a developmental pass rusher who can get on the field as a designated speed pass rusher in his rookie season. He moved to the USA when he was only 15 where his athletic talents became evident. Nevertheless, that only makes his peak potential even more exciting. The Michigan DE doesnt always have a pass-rushing plan, and that lack of a plan can sap away at his momentum and exerted power. He has received loud praise from his coaches and has the character NFL teams are looking for. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. He chose Michigan and enrolled in the Spring of 2019. Copyright 2019-2023. He went from primarily being a soccer and basketball player to a football player and the decision proved to be a good one as he has been able to showcase his elite skill set and physical traits as an edge rusher. Along with the inside spin move, Ojabo is just as effective at executing the outside spin when he catches OTs cheating inside on him. Ojabo is a good wrap-up tackler who has the awareness to go for the football and force fumbles when he is unable to finish the sack with a tackle. Whats even more impressive is that Ojabo has shown he knows how to combine elements of speed, power, and bend in rapid succession. 1 overall pick. His ceiling may be the highest in the 2022 NFL Draft. David Ojabo [Purple Lazer] prices (Football Cards 2022 Panini Select Draft Picks) are updated daily for each source listed above. He logged 11 sacks and 12 tackles for loss in 14 games then declared for the 2022 NFL Draft after Michigans playoff loss to Georgia. At the end of the 2019 season, he was named Michigans Scout Team Player of the Year. He has the production totals to go with an amazing physical skill set. Furthermore, hes not great at reading and reacting to option plays when unblocked. He fielded scholarship offers from Clemson, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Texas A&M, but Ojabo ultimately chose to don the Maize and Blue. He also added 37 quarterback pressures, which led Michigan by a 12-point margin and ranked fifth in the Big Ten despite Morris playing the 49th-most pass-rushing snaps. historically in the player's position group (Higher value represents better perfomance). Posted Under: 2022 NFL Draft. David Ojabo has an immense amount of potential, and the Ravens could potentially be the team to unlock it pic.twitter.com/SsvpFHAhQ1, Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) April 25, 2022. David Ojabo NFL draft player profile, with bio, stats and videos Ojabo boasts a versatile frame at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, which allows him to impact the game . With his injury, its unclear when hell be able to return. 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report for David Ojabo. Hes a unique athlete with limited experience playing football - the sky is the limit. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports. 4 January 2022 American Football Michigan Wolverines linebacker David Ojabo is projected to go as high as the first-round, possibly even the top 10, of the 2022 NFL draft As recently as 2017,. 1. He has made plays against the run and isnt a liability per se, but added strength will help him become an every-down player. When it comes to run defense, Ojabo will get picked on due to his angular, lean frame. Ojabo is probably the prototype of "raw" as he doesn't have a ton of experience and didn't start playing football until his junior year of high school. Ojabo also forced a Michigan single-season record of five forced fumbles. Ojabo is tough to block on an island due to his quickness and threatens the outside shoulder. Last year, Kwity Paye was the Michigan Wolverine with a feel-good story involving he and his family coming over to the United States from Guinea. If he's there, why not? 45 overall pick . Ojabo hasnt had much time to become comfortable with his position, only beginning to play organized football during his junior year of high school. Shortly after, however, a torn Achilles suffered at his pro day cast doubt over his projection. NFL Draft profile scouting report for Michigan defensive end, David Ojabo. Ojabo is arguably the biggest stock riser in all of college football this year. Publish date: Scott Bogman host of the . More. Nick Falato is co-host of the Big Blue Banter podcast. He is a phenomenal athlete with a unique skill set as an already. If healthy, he might have cracked the top 10. He needs to be more consistent capitalizing on displacement, or his rushes fade out at the apex. Ojabo still has room to refine his game. - which allows you to instantly find out if a trade offer benefits you or your opponent - we've got you covered this fantasy football season. Is he still worth a Round 1 pick? David Ojabo. Ojabo then moved to the United States for High School and attended Blair Academy under coach Jim Saylor. Ojabo wins his rushes on pure speed right now. He has long limbs, good hands, decent bend and proved himself as a pass-rusher last fall with a high motor. Past month; Great Item! On a team that starts Hutchinson, Ojabo broke out on his own accord. Played his first season of organized football as a junior in high school, becoming an all-conference player by his senior season The prices shown are the lowest prices available for David Ojabo [Purple Lazer] the last time we updated. His talent has always been apparent, and in 2021, he applied it better than ever. Ojabo sports a long, lean frame that probably has room for a few more pounds.
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