The Baltimore Ravens have one of the best track records in football when it comes to identifying and developing talent through the NFL Draft. However, former top pick David Ojabo is reportedly not coming close to the expectations placed on him entering the league.
Ojabo, age 23, earned second-team All-American honors in 2021 after a breakout season with the Michigan Wolverines. After playing in just six total games across his first two seasons in Ann Arbor, the 6-foot-4 edge rusher put it all together in a breakout season.
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Starting opposite of Aidan Hutchinson, Ojabo recorded 12 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in 13 games. While NFL coaches still saw Ojabo as a bit of a project player, his combination of size, athleticism and bend were captivating for NFL scouts.
- David Ojabo stats (NFL): 1 sack in two games played
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Viewed as a top-20 talent in the 2022 NFL Draft, Ojabo suffered a torn Achilles at Michigan’s Pro Day. It dealt a massive blow to his draft stock, with teams recognizing that he would miss the majority of his rookie season. He was activated off injured reserve in November, playing in just two games.
- David Ojabo college stats: 12 tackles for loss, 11 sacks in 2021
Baltimore went into training camp hopeful that Ojabo would make a second-year leap now that he was fully healthy. However, it appears the second-year edge rusher hasn’t quite met the team’s expectations.
Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic took stock of Ravens’ players who have impressed and disappointed during the training camp and preseason. While Ojabo’s roster spot isn’t in jeopardy, he also hasn’t performed at a level that warranted the big role Baltimore planned for him.
“Ojabo is essentially a rookie. He didn’t have a training camp or preseason last year because he was rehabbing a torn Achilles. He didn’t start practicing until early November and didn’t play in his first NFL game until mid-December. It was unreasonable to expect Ojabo to come out this preseason and overwhelm NFL offensive tackles. But it is understandable if you expected more than what he’s shown. In 35 preseason snaps, Ojabo has one assisted tackle and no quarterback hits or sacks. He’s struggled to get off blocks and hasn’t shown the explosiveness in games that he’s flashed at times in practice. The Ravens plan for the former Michigan standout to have a significant role on defense, even after the Jadeveon Clowney signing. He’s going to have to earn his playing time.”
Jeff Zrebiec on Baltimore Ravens edge rusher David Ojabo
Ojabo’s lack of consistency had little to do with the signing of Jadeveon Clowney. Baltimore had a long-standing interest in the veteran pass rusher and the organization hopes he and Ojabo play together well in 2023.
However, the Ravens’ pass rush is a bit of a concern. Odafe Oweh and Ojabo are both largely unproven, while Tuys Bowser and Justin Madubuike aren’t viewed as high-end starters. If Baltimore’s pass rush becomes an issue this season, it will have significant consequences for this secondary and the Ravens’ playoff hopes.
