Various eyes shall be centered on quarterback Lamar Jackson or broad receiver Odell Beckham Jr. when the Ravens open teaching camp in late July, nevertheless in all probability probably the most intriguing participant shall be second-year open air linebacker David Ojabo.
If he performs as a lot as his potential, Ojabo would possibly become the elite, youthful go rusher the Ravens have coveted since Terrell Suggs left Baltimore after the 2018 season.
“In the event that they’re not setting their targets excessive sufficient and your imaginative and prescient isn’t sufficiently big on your gamers, you’re not doing the suitable issues, particularly as a coach,” Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald talked about. “So, in fact now we have large visions for ‘Ja’ and the issues that we wish him to have the ability to do.”
The Ravens have had their share of sturdy go rushers, along with defensive end Michael McCrary, defensive type out Sam Adams and outdoor linebackers Elvis Dumervil and Justin Houston.
However Suggs and fellow open air linebacker Peter Boulware have been rather more specific on account of they’ve been drafted by Baltimore. Boulware was the Ravens’ excessive determine, fourth normal, out of Florida State throughout the 1997 draft, and Suggs obtained right here six years later as a result of the No. 10 normal determine from Arizona State.
Suggs is the Ravens’ all-time sack chief with 132 1/2 in 229 video video games, and Boulware accomplished with 70 sacks in 126 video video games.
Ojabo has that type of potential.
“He’s right here and he’s developed,” Macdonald talked about of Ojabo, who was the Ravens’ second-round determine in 2022. “He had all this time to study the scheme, study the drills, construct the inspiration and get bodily stronger. Mentally, he’s in an important spot, so I believe it’s all optimistic.”
Ojabo understands what can happen for him proper right here. That’s why he tried to talk Suggs into allowing him to placed on the earlier Ravens star’s No. 55 jersey, the an identical amount Ojabo wore at Michigan.
Suggs’ response was traditional Suggs: Thanks, nevertheless no thanks. Translation: Hey, youthful fella, go assemble your particular person legend.
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Ojabo has all the devices. He’s prolonged and rangy like Boulware, though not as thick as Suggs. The one issue that separated Suggs is that he would possibly change route and do it with vitality in each his arms or his legs.
Ojabo, though, has an assortment of strikes. Not like fellow open air linebacker and good pal Odafe Oweh, who’s a one-dimensional velocity rusher, Ojabo has the quickness to point out the nook along with the vitality to win in hand-to-hand combat in direction of most offensive linemen.
Through the offseason, he appears to have added 5 to 10 kilos of bulk throughout the chest and shoulder areas.
“I placed on a strong, in all probability, 10 kilos of muscle,” Ojabo talked about. “It’s extra confidence, will assist me be extra steady in myself going up towards grown males, now. So, it’s all only a large confidence enhance.”
So far as meeting expectations, Ojabo isn’t fazed.
“It’s by no means stress; it’s simply what we do,” he talked about. “I’m simply excited to be on the market with my brothers and simply play soccer.”
Ojabo found heaps remaining season, regardless that he observed solely important movement throughout the regular-season finale in direction of Cincinnati, when he sacked Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
He missed most of ultimate season after he tore his Achilles tendon remaining March at his skilled day. He nonetheless had some optimistic lecturers in Houston, who led the Ravens in sacks remaining season with 9 1/2, and defensive lineman Calais Campbell, who served as a difficult man tutor.
Now, it’s his current time — and time to position the injury behind him.
“Actually, I’m uninterested in listening to about it. I’m actually drained. It’s in my previous,” Ojabo talked about. “I’ve grown from it. It’s made me stronger. And sure, I’m prepared to maneuver on from it. I’m 110%.”
Few of the Ravens know Ojabo larger than Macdonald. He was the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator in 2021 when Ojabo had 11 sacks.
“I believe he can rush inside and outside,” Macdonald talked about. “The power set, and it merely will get on you considerably quicker inside, so that’s one factor it’s a should to get used to considerably bit. We’ll almost certainly start him open air and see the place it goes from there — very like what we did with Odafe remaining 12 months.
“So far as I do know, he’s able to roll.”
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