EDGE, Michigan
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 250 lbs
Class: Junior
Ojabo has had an unconventional path to the NFL Draft. Born in Nigeria and brought up in Scotland, he spent most of his youth playing soccer and basketball. He moved to America aged 17 to further his basketball ambitions, but switched to football in his junior year of high school.
Ojabo was rated as a four-star recruit in 2019, earning offers from 35 schools. He committed to Michigan, where he became a starter this season. His impact was immediate, and he earned First Team All-Big Ten honours, as well as being voted a Second Team All-American.
You can read more of my 2022 NFL Draft content here.
Strengths
Ojabo is one of the most athletic edge rushers in this year’s class. He comes from a track background and won a prep state title in the 100m with a time of 10.93 seconds. For context, that is faster than his former high school teammate Odafe Oweh. Oweh later went on to run a 4.37 40-yard dash at his pro day. This all shows up on tape, and Ojabo offers some exceptional quickness, bend, and lateral agility. The fact he pairs this with an NFL-ready 6’5″ and 250 lbs frame makes it even more impressive.
Another huge strength to Ojabo’s game is his hand usage. 2021 was his first year of meaningful playing time, but he already looks better than many of the more experienced prospects in this class. His hand placement is consistently impressive and he already showcases a wide array of moves. His dip-and-rip is his go-to move, but he has also shown the ability to win with a cross-chop and swim move.
All of this combines to make Ojabo one of the best pure pass rushers in this year’s class. His combination of high end athletic traits and advanced hand usage caused a tonne of problems for opposing tackles this year. Ojabo finished with 42 pressures, including 11 sacks, on just 300 pass rushing snaps. He also forced five fumbles, which ranked second amongst all Power Five edges.
Perhaps the most exciting part of Ojabo’s game is his upside. He only started playing football five years ago, and he readily admits that he is still learning the rules of the game. Prior to this season he had played just 26 snaps in his college career. The fact he went on to earn All-American honours in his first season of meaningful playing time is hugely impressive and teams will be intrigued by the potential he offers.
Weaknesses
Whilst Ojabo is already a high level pass rusher, he has some way to go against the run. This is evident in the fact that Michigan would often take him out of the game in short yardage scenarios. A big reason for this is his play strength. Whilst it isn’t a major issue, it did allow bigger offensive linemen to overpower him and get him off his spot. His anchor will certainly need to improve to hold up as a three down player in the NFL.
Adding some more play strength would also help as a pass rusher. Whilst he has already shown a number of ways to win, Ojabo lacks a power dimension to his attack. He doesn’t have the pop in his hands to consistently create movement with bull rushes and is more of a finesse player at the moment. Developing this would really help his chances of success at the next level.
Bottom Line
Ojabo is a fascinating prospect. He offers high end athletic traits that will translate well to the NFL game. He pairs this with refined hand usage and a diverse array of pass rushing moves that bely his inexperience. His play strength and stoutness against the run need some work, but everything is there for him to become a quality starter in the NFL.
Ideal role: Outside linebacker in a 3-4 front
Round projection: 1st round
