Baltimore Ravens select Michigan EDGE David Ojabo in 2022 NFL Draft

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On3 image — Michigan football outside linebacker David Ojabo elevated his game in 2021. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

David Ojabo won’t be able to play in the NFL right away after tearing his Achilles at his Michigan Pro Day. But that didn’t stop the former Michigan star from going in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Ojabo is heading to the Baltimore Ravens as their No. 45 overall pick. He was a force for the Wolverines alongside fellow EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, who went No. 2 overall to the Detroit Lions.

Ojabo had 35 tackles and 11.0 sacks, a mark that ranked second on the team behind Hutchinson’s 14.0. They formed a dynamic 1-2 punch for the Wolverines and were two huge reasons why they made the College Football Playoff for the first time.

He tore his Achilles during Michigan’s Pro Day, but experts such as ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. didn’t think he’d fall past the early second round in the days leading up to the draft.

Out of high school, Ojabo was a four-star recruit and the No. 5 recruit out of New Jersey from the Class of 2019, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about David Ojabo

Ojabo’s Achilles injury hurt his draft stock and he fell out of mock drafts in the weeks leading up to the draft. However, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein argued teams should still be in on the former Wolverines star.

“Emerging edge defender who should see a substantial leap in play consistency with more time to work on his technique and learn the game,” Zierlein wrote. “The upside is evident, despite his inexperience. At times, the run tape can be a rough study, but it improved as the 2021 season progressed. Ojabo’s rush approach is fairly sophisticated with the feet and agility to juke, stutter, spin and race his way past offensive tackles. He’s not ready to take on pro run blockers, but Ojabo is in the early stages of his physical and play development.

“The Achilles tear he suffered at his pro day is likely to hurt his draft stock, but it will be hard for teams to pass on his upside if he remains available in the second round.”