The Baltimore Ravens have long boasted one of the fiercest defenses in the NFL and have always been known for being more than stingy on that side of the ball.
Last year, they actually had some rare struggles defensively, but they rebounded during the second half of the season, thanks in part to a fine pass rush that totaled 54 sacks on the year.
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However, one of the Ravens’ edge rushers has not exactly been living up to his end of the bargain since being selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft: David Ojabo.
Since entering the league, Ojabo has amassed a grand total of 16 tackles and four sacks and has been so unproductive that he is being viewed as a potential cut candidate heading into the 2025 campaign.
That’s what makes Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton’s assertion that Ojabo could be a breakout talent this fall all the more puzzling.
A general view of a Baltimore Ravens helmet on the sideline during the second half of a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium on August 9, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. The…
A general view of a Baltimore Ravens helmet on the sideline during the second half of a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium on August 9, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens have added a new memorial decal to their helmets ahead of the NFL regular season.
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“Ojabo tore his Achilles tendon at Michigan’s pro day in 2022. Since then, he’s played sparingly, taking the field for just five games in his first two seasons,” Moton wrote. “Last year, he logged nine tackles, two for loss and two sacks while on the field for 275 defensive snaps. Behind 34-year-old Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh, Ojabo could see more opportunities to rush the passer in a rotational role. As a third-down and situational pass-rusher, the fourth-year pro could bolster his market value before he hits free agency in 2026.”
Baltimore’s patience is surely running thing with Ojabo, and it’s important to note that the Ravens also selected Mike Green in the second round of the draft this past April. Green led the country with 17 sacks at Marshall last season, so he will almost certainly be getting some playing time in 2025.
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But where does that leave Ojabo? Will he actually have a role this year? Or will the Ravens simply cut ties with him?
The 25-year-old definitely has talent, as evidenced by his strong final campaign at Michigan in which he racked up 35 tackles and 11 sacks. But whether or not that translates onto the professional level remains to be seen.
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