NFL draft 2022: Michigan’s David Ojabo lands with Ravens in second round, reunites with former DC

Former Michigan exterior linebacker David Ojabo didn’t begin enjoying soccer till he was a sophomore in highschool.

Now he’s a second-round NFL draft choose.

The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder had a breakout junior yr at Michigan with 11 sacks, and the Baltimore Ravens rewarded him by drafting him with No. 45 total choose.

Regardless of Ojabo struggling a torn Achilles throughout Michigan’s professional day final month, the Ravens felt his potential was too appreciable to cross up with an early choose. The standout pass-rusher will reunite with former Wolverines defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who departed for a similar job with the Ravens this offseason.

As a result of Ojabo is slated to overlook a lot of the 2022 season, many draft pundits anticipated his inventory to drop after the harm. The previous four-star recruit was projected as a top-20 draft forward of the harm, however he didn’t fall very far.

“I feel it’s extra seemingly he goes within the second (spherical), simply so you realize, nevertheless it wouldn’t shock me if a staff took him late within the first merely since you get that fifth-year choice and also you’re making an attempt to get 4 years of worth out of him figuring out that you simply’re in all probability not going to get so much, if something, out of him as a rookie,” ESPN analyst Todd McShay mentioned final week. “However as soon as he will get on the sphere and assuming he’s again to full energy, you’ve obtained a severe cross rusher. A man who can are available and, whilst he continues to develop his palms and turn into extra in synch with all of his strikes and put collectively the cross rush plan, he’s simply going to maintain getting higher as a cross rusher.”

Friday is the end result of a meteoric rise via the soccer ranks for Ojabo, who was born in Nigeria, raised in Scotland and performed highschool ball at Blair Academy in New Jersey.

A gifted athlete, Ojabo performed basketball at soccer at Blair Academy earlier than switching to the gridiron. He obtained a suggestion from Rutgers even earlier than he performed his first soccer sport and completed his highschool profession because the No. 314 total recruit nationally within the 2019 class, in accordance with the 247Sports Composite.

He had only one deal with over his first two seasons in Ann Arbor earlier than incomes a beginning position in 2021. Paired with Aidan Hutchinson, who was drafted second total by the Detroit Lions, on the sides, the pass-rushing duo led the cost for Michigan’s protection final season, serving to the staff beat Ohio State, win a Massive Ten title and punch its ticket to the School Soccer Playoff for the primary time.

Alongside along with his 11 sacks, Ojabo totaled 35 tackles and 5 pressured fumbles.

“On the finish of the day, I used to be prepared. I used to be simply ready on my alternative,” Ojabo mentioned on the NFL Scouting Mix in March. “For those who put together for one thing, when the time comes — they are saying, ‘look ahead to the intense lights, don’t present your work at nighttime.’

“Once they got here on, I wasn’t stunned as a result of I put within the work and the time.”

However not like Hutchinson, who was an every-down participant for Michigan final season, Ojabo was on the sphere for 55% of defensive snaps, enjoying primarily in passing conditions.

He’s the second Michigan exterior linebacker chosen within the first two rounds prior to now three years. Josh Uche was the No. 60 total choose by the New England Patriots in 2020.

Ojabo is also the third Wolverine drafted in 2022, becoming a member of defensive finish Aidan Hutchinson (No. 2, Detroit Lions) and defensive again Daxton Hill (No. 31, Cincinnati Bengals).

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