It's been rough sledding in the pros for Baltimore Ravens pass rusher David Ojabo. After the former Michigan star went from first-round lock to second-round gamble following a torn Achilles at his Pro Day, the injuries have not slowed down since he came to Baltimore.
After missing all but two games during his rookie season while he worked his way back from the Achilles injury, Ojabo played just a handful of snaps in September last year before a torn ACL cut his sophomore season short. Ojabo's body is failing him, erasing most of his first two seasons.
Despite that, John Harbaugh seems to be committed to giving him a long opportunity to prove his worth. If Harbaugh wants to unleash Ojabo, it appears as though his body is finally starting to recover and hold up after last year's knee catastrophe.
Harbaugh said he expects Ojabo to be ready at some point during training camp, which puts him on track for a fairly painless Week 1 return. Baltimore is expecting big things from Ojabo after letting Jadeveon Clowney and his 9.5 sacks from last season leave in free agency.
Harbs gives an update on David Ojabo:https://t.co/Nzn2LhK8Uk
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) May 30, 2024
David Ojabo injury update is a good sign for Ravens
Ojabo played in just five professional games, accruing two sacks in that time. It's hard to even make a judgment on how well he has played in the pros given the lack of time, making him one of the biggest question marks on the team heading into his third season.
What made Ojabo such a promising player at Michigan was his physical traits, as he ran a 4.55 40-yard dash with a 35-inch vertical jump at 250 pounds. After two major lower body injuries in back-to-back seasons, it is fair to wonder if he still has all the juice he had in his Wolverine days.
Ojabo will likely not be a starter this season, as the two projected top dogs are veteran Kyle Van Noy and first-round pick Odafe Oweh after Baltimore picked up his fourth-year option. Ojabo and third-round rookie Adisa Isaac will likely be trusted as situational pass-rushing backups.
While it seems unlikely that Ojabo will ever be a core long-term piece due to how brittle he is, the fact he's close to getting back on the field after such a serious detour could be a positive sign. Anything the Ravens get out of Ojabo this season is a plus, given all of the hoops he has had to jump through.