David Ojabo Scouting Report: 2022 NFL Draft Prospect Report
EDGE, Michigan Wolverines, #55
Measurements
6’5, 250 lbs.
40-time: 4.75
David Ojabo Player Profile
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. 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. Against Ohio State a few weeks ago, both of Ojabo’s parents were able to witness a game of their sons in person for the first time.
It has been a rapid rise for Ojabo, who didn’t begin playing football until 2017 as a junior at Blair Academy in New Jersey. Ojabo enrolled here as a sophomore in 2016 and only participated in soccer and basketball his first year. He would drop soccer for football, which certainly made sense for him considering his athletic profile. Playing in a fertile recruiting area, scouts quickly took notice of the physically gifted, raw Ojabo.
Early Football Career
In his first year of organized football, Ojabo tallied a modest 35 tackles and 6 sacks. However, when you look closer, he did this in only 7 games as mostly an edge pass rusher. It was more than enough to put himself on the radar of Power 5 schools. As a senior, he improved his production totaling 33 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 8 TFL. Ojabo established himself as a consensus four-star recruit and received offers from the likes of Clemson, Notre Dame, and Michigan among others.
He chose Michigan and enrolled in the Spring of 2019. That fall, as a freshman, he received zero game action but was the scout team player of the year. In his second season, he appeared in six games playing mostly on special teams. His biggest impact came in the classroom where he was an All-Big Ten scholar. He was hardly on anyone’s radar outside of Michigan entering 2021, but he has violently burst onto the national scene with multiple standout performances.
David Ojabo Strengths
Ideal fit in 3-4
Ojabo has the ideal frame to play the outside linebacker spot in a 3-4 scheme. It doesn’t hurt that he has taken most of his snaps playing in a two-point stance. He also has experience playing both sides of the line, going against left tackles and right tackles while swapping spots with Hutchison. Ojabo’s lanky body type and his impressive length is one of the prototypical characteristics of a pass rushing specialist as a 3-4 OLB. Ojabo also has the ability to drop back and cover with above-average lateral quickness for his position.
Explosiveness
Michigan Edge David Ojabo
Ojabo is so fast off the ball. He shows serious explosion out of his stance. One of the most important aspects of playing the edge position is the get off and Ojabo has an impressive one. 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. When Ojabo gets into the backfield, he hits hard and doesn’t miss a lot. He also shows impressive pursuit chasing down ball-carriers or chasing the quarterback. Speed is ultimately Ojabo’s best tool.
Knack for forcing turnovers
Ojabo hasn’t been an every-down player in the Michigan defense, but his production numbers make it seem like he is. With Aidan Hutchison and Dax Hill among others, there is plenty of playmaking ability to go around. Still, Ojabo has found a way to put a serious imprint on many of the games this season, his first one seeing real game action. Not only does he have 11 sacks, but 5 of those have resulted in forced fumbles. He plays like he wants to take the ball away every rep. It is a good sign he already has the knack for the art of strip sacks.
Traits
Ojabo looks the part and has put enough splash plays on tape to really buy in. His athleticism is freakish and at 6’5, he offers great size. It doesn’t hurt that his arms look like they drop to his shoes. Not only is Ojabo explosive off the snap, but he moves extremely well for someone his size. He will be a combine standout with his impressive physical tools. He has received loud praise from his coaches and has the character NFL teams are looking for.
David Ojabo Weaknesses
Pass Rush Plan
Ojabo wins his rushes on pure speed right now. He shows the ability to turn his speed into power, but his overwhelming speed allows him to catch tackles off guard and push them back. When the guy blocking him is ready for his speed rush, he often gets locked up and the rush is over. There needs to be some counters and improved hand play added to his game to round out his pass rushing arsenal. He also sometimes rushes too far up the field, allowing the QB to step up.
Play Strength
Michigan Edge David Ojabo
Ojabo needs to add strength to his frame to be a more effective run defender and improve his power rushes. Right now, Ojabo doesn’t have the play strength to be a 4-3 defensive end. He isn’t an every-down player for Michigan because he comes off the field to give way to a better run defender. He has made plays against the run and isn’t a liability per se, but added strength will help him become an every-down player.
David Ojabo Draft Stock
Raise your hand if you had David Ojabo as a potential first round pick before the season. If you are, you’re lying. Ojabo is arguably the biggest stock riser in all of college football this year. With hardly any snaps to his name entering the year, he was on no one’s radar. Now, at worst, Ojabo will be an early second-round pick. Ojabo can help himself even more with a strong playoff performance on the national stage and an expected great combine showing. The peak for Ojabo appears to be top 15 at this point, but there is a chance some team falls in love with him before that.
David Ojabo Final Thoughts
Ojabo’s improvement week to week during his junior season has been admirable. Every prospect that I have scouted thus far made important contributions as a freshman or sophomore and had promising expectations entering their draftable years. For Ojabo to explode like this is extremely impressive considering the lack of meaningful reps he received his first two years at Michigan. He has the production totals to go with an amazing physical skill set. While he needs to be coached up on his hands and pass rush moves, Ojabo has the foundation to have a successful NFL career and looks to have the character to accept strong coaching.
David Ojabo Scouting Report by Justin Trevisani.
