Latest news with #Ojabo
USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Time may be running out for a former Ravens second-round draft pick
A former Ravens second-round draft pick may be running out of opportunities in Baltimore He's only 25 years old. It seems he'd be entering his prime years, but instead, a young Baltimore Ravens star is at a crossroads. Time has flown. David Ojabo, a second-round draft choice in 2022, enters the final season of his four-year rookie contract. His selection followed a stellar final season in Ann Arbor with the Michigan Wolverines. He was named a First-Team All-Big Ten selection and a Second-Team All-American in 2021. That elevated an already rising stock. Baltimore rolled the dice after having already added Kyle Hamilton and Tyler Linderbaum in Round 1. They worked out. Unfortunately, Ojabo hasn't. Might this be David Ojabo's last chance to make an impression? Teams expect first-rounders to be stars, but the meat of NFL rosters is built on Day 2 of every selection meeting. Ojabo's career resume features one start in 18 appearances over three years. 16 tackles, two forced fumbles, and four sacks are the results of his efforts. Needless to say, the Ravens were hoping for more. Now, there is more to the story. In fairness, he suffered an Achilles tear at his Michigan Pro Day back in 2022. That led to a trip to the injured reserve to begin his rookie season. He was activated in November of that same year, but honestly, he just wasn't ready. Year two came. He began his sophomore NFL season with three tackles and a sack vs. the Houston Texans while playing 48% of the snaps. More adversity came. Another trip to Baltimore's injured reserve came in September 2023. That ended his second professional campaign after he had only been on the field for a total of three games. Now, what? It's 2025. Baltimore enters another season with one of the best rosters they have had on paper in a while. That's saying a lot, given that they've been one of the genuine contenders in the AFC for some time now. They're loaded at edge rusher. Odafe Oweh, Kyle Van Noy, Adisa Isaac, and Tavius Robinson are the familiar faces. Mike Green is the exciting rookie. That leads to a question. Is there even any room on this roster for David Ojabo? He'll need to make an impression quickly. This season, he represents a $2.5 million cap hit, but he only counts as $733,022 in dead money if Baltimore releases him. It doesn't sound like someone safe. Keep an eye on him during the final two preseason games because it may be safe to say the former highly-touted rookie may be running out of chances.
USA Today
11-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
David Ojabo made a strong statement with his performance in the preseason opener
As the late Al Davis, long time owner of the Oakland Raiders, famously said: "the other team's quarterback must go down, and he must go down hard." In the preseason opener last Thursday night, Baltimore Ravens edge rusher David Ojabo provided that service. He knocked Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson out of the game, when he sacked him in the first quarter. Richardson suffered a dislocated pinky, on his throwing hand, during that play. However, Richardson will be back for the second preseason game, against the Green Bay Packers this upcoming week. Ojabo knows a thing or two about coming back from injury, as that has been the story of his career thus far. A second round pick in 2022, Ojabo only played in five games during his first two seasons in the league, due to the torn Achilles that he suffered during his Pro Day at Michigan. Ojabo played in 13 games last season, upping his total to 18, but he only has 16 tackles and four sacks over the course of his career. Currently in the final year of his rookie contract, this is definitely Last Chance Saloon for Ojabo in Baltimore. He's rumored to be on the trading block, and the Ravens could save some cap space should they find a suitor with a suitable offer. He might benefit from a change in scenery, as he's currently projected as the third-string edge rusher. Of course, if he wants to stay and fight for his place, the Ravens could certainly use more pass-rushing help. You can never have enough good edge rushers, especially when you're trying to shore up what was one of the league's worst pass defenses last season. And depth is needed because Kyle van Noy and Odafe Oweh can't do it all themselves. In addition to the sack, Ojabo had two tackles, one tackle for loss and a QB hit on Thursday night. He's making a strong case to keep a roster spot.
USA Today
11-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Updated 53-man roster prediction following Ravens' preseason win over the Colts
Baltimore defeated Indianapolis 24-16 in the preseason opener, and we're looking at an updated 53-man roster prediction with a few changes and some surprises After months of waiting, Baltimore returned to M&T Bank Stadium for an entertaining preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts. This is a loaded roster with few holes or opportunities to steal a starting spot or carve out a key role on offense or defense. With the Ravens set to begin preparation for Dallas, we're releasing another 53-man roster prediction with a few surprises. Random note: The Baltimore Ravens have granted outside linebacker David Ojabo an international roster exemption, opening up a spot for an extra player this offseason. According to "a qualifying international player is a person whose citizenship and principal place of residence are outside the United States and Canada, and who has a maximum of two years of United States high school experience." Ojabo, a 2022 second-round pick out of Michigan by the Ravens, was born in Nigeria but moved to Scotland in 2007. At 17, he moved to the United States and played basketball at Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey. Soon after, he switched to football and became teammates with Baltimore outside linebacker Odafe Oweh. Ojabo now enters a pivotal fourth season in the NFL, and while he will not count against a roster spot for now, he will still count on the 53-man roster once the season starts. QB: 2 Lamar Jackson Cooper Rush Lamar Jackson is an MVP candidate. Cooper Rush and Devin Leary looked out of sorts in the opener, but Rush is still among the NFL's most reliable backups. Baltimore could eventually look to bring in a third quarterback. RB: 5 Derrick Henry Justice Hill Keaton Mitchell Rasheen Ali Pat Ricard Baltimore has a solid four at running back, and Rasheen Ali made it difficult for the Ravens to release him. WR: 6 Zay Flowers DeAndre Hopkins Rashod Bateman LaJohntay Wester Devontez Walker Tylan Wallace The final six spots at wide receiver will look similar, with DeAndre Hopkins replacing Nelson Agholor, and LaJohntay Wester being added via the NFL draft. The Ravens drafted LaJohntay Wester and will look for Devontez Walker to take the next steps. TE: 3 Mark Andrews Isaiah Likely Charlie Kolar Baltimore goes chalk at tight end, bringing back its top three players from 2024, all of whom have expiring contracts. OL: 9 Tyler Linderbaum Daniel Faalele Andrew Vorhees Roger Rosengarten Ronnie Stanley Joe Noteboom Garrett Dellinger (Drafted Rookie) Corey Bullock Carson Vinson (Drafted Rookie) DL: 6 Justin Madubuike Broderick Washington Aeneas Peebles (Drafted Rookie) John Jenkins Travis Jones Brent Urban With Michael Pierce retired, Travis Jones has an opportunity for a breakout season. Edge Rusher: 5 Mike Green David Ojabo -- International Roster Exemption Odafe Oweh Kyle Van Noy Adisa Isaac Tavius Robinson Ojabo's roster exemption is the only thing keeping him on this team, while Tavius Robinson looks to make a big jump. LB: 4 Roquan Smith Trenton Simpson Jake Hummel Teddye Buchanan (Draft Pick) CB: 6 Nate Wiggins Jaire Alexander Chidobe Awuzie T.J. Tampa Marlon Humphrey Jalyn Armour-Davis The addition of Jaire Alexander forces Robert Longerbeam to the practice squad in his rookie season, and Jayln Armour-Davis benefits from the Bilhal Kone injury. Safety: 4 Sanoussi Kane Beau Brade Malaki Starks Kyle Hamilton Specialst: 3 Tyler Loop Jordan Stout Nick Moore
USA Today
12-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
One player on the Ravens roster bubble at each defensive position following OTAs
One player on the Ravens roster bubble at each defensive position following OTAs With Ravens' OTAs over and all three phases of the off-season workout program complete, we're looking at one player on the roster bubble at each defensive position. Baltimore is loaded on the offensive side of the football, and GM Eric DeCosta knowingly chose to restock the defense with the organization's first two NFL draft picks. The Ravens are cruising through the off-season workout program and have a looming two-day mandatory mini-camp scheduled before the team takes a five-week break before returning for the mid-July training camp. Baltimore's two top sack artists return on defense, but the edge rusher position will host the toughest position battles, just ahead of third cornerback and safety. There are a couple of positions with competitions scheduled, and we're taking an early look at one player on the roster bubble at each defensive position. DT-C.J. Okoye Okoye, a Nigerian native, first joined the Chargers as part of the International Player Pathway Program. He had a sack in his first organized football game in the preseason. He'll compete in a position group that includes Nnamdi Madubuike, Travis Jones, John Jenkins, and Jayson Jones. DE-Adedayo Odeleye The 6'5″, 265-pound Nigerian-born prospect was part of the 2022 NFL International Player Pathway program with the Texans before spending this season on the Baltimore practice squad. Nicknamed "Dayo," he began playing American football at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom. Edge Rusher -- David Ojabo Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh are the unquestioned starters, but the Ravens are hoping second-round pick Mike Green can assume a role from Day 1. Ojabo will battle Adisa Isaac, Tavius Robinson, and rookie Mike Green for snaps. Things can only go up for Ojabo after he played in 13 games last season. He has four sacks in his first three seasons, and it's now or never for the former Michigan pass rusher. A 2024 third-round pick, Adisa Isaac saw action in four games and played 32 defensive snaps, as his NFL debut was delayed by a hamstring issue, which sidelined him for the Ravens' first two games. Tavius Robinson has improved dramatically, and the former Ole Miss pass rusher had 3.5 sacks and 12 QB hits in a reserve role last season. LB-William Kwenkeu Kwenkeu is the only player signed to a reserve/futures deal who saw regular-season game action in 2024, as he was elevated twice and played 33 special-teams snaps (vs. Eagles and Giants). Roquan Smith is the unquestioned leader of the Ravens' defense, but he'll need a running back at the linebacker spot. With Malik Harrison and Chris Board departing in free agency, John Harbaugh confirmed that Trenton Simpson would be first up in the battle at linebacker. Simpson was productive over Baltimore's first 11 games, logging 65 tackles (34 solo), but he was a liability in the passing game. Simpson was entirely out of the Ravens' inside-linebacker rotation following the Week 14 bye, and he was limited to special teams during Baltimore's two-game postseason run. Simpson finished the 2024 regular season with 73 tackles (40 solo), including 1.5 sacks, four pass defenses, and one fumble recovery across 17 games. He'll battle special-teams standout Jacob Hummel and fourth-round pick Teddye Buchanan. CB-Jalyn Armour-Davisa Armour-Davis is entering a crucial time in his career. With the Ravens' cornerback position stacked with young talent, the former Alabama defensive back is getting reps at safety. Before the NFL draft and free agency, Baltimore had four cornerbacks on the roster. Since then, the Ravens have added Chidobe Awuzie, Bilal Kone (rookie), and Robert Longerbeam (rookie). T.J. Tampa is in a similar boat after missing most of his rookie season to various injuries. Armour-Davis will enter year four needing a strong training camp. S-Keondre Jackson/Desmond Igbinosun Baltimore likes to employ a third safety in their base defense, allowing Kyle Hamilton to be a Swiss army knife in Zach Orr's versatile scheme. Ar'Darius Washington fit that role until he suffered a torn Achilles during a recent workout. Beau Brade and Sanoussi Kane will battle for that role. Kane is a thumper who also stood out on defense in the preseason. According to Pro Football Focus, he did not allow a single reception on 30 coverage snaps, produced a coverage grade of 73.4, and recorded a forced incompletion and a tackle for loss. Last summer, Brade made the Ravens' 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie free agent after starring at River Hill High School and the University of Maryland. In the games he appeared in, Brade was mainly relegated to special teams roles and only saw the field on defense late in the fourth quarter of games where victory was well in hand. Braden recorded just three total tackles, including just one solo, and played 207 snaps on special teams compared to just 11 on defense. He was inactive for both playoff games.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ravens Outsmart NFL Using International Pathway Program
The International Pathway Program is something the NFL made in order to encourage players from other countries to see what they can do in the NFL. One notable player that used this is Philadelphia Eagles star lineman Jordan Mailata, who grew up playing rugby in Australia, and then came over to the United States when he was 21. Advertisement The Baltimore Ravens have now made use of this program, but they have found a way to cheat the system just a bit. Nigerian edge rusher appeared in 13 games this past season for the Ravens, which would make one think that he would not be eligible for the IPP. But you would be wrong. The only qualifications needed are citizenship and residency outside the United States and Canada, with a maximum of two years of US high school experience. And Ojabo fits those requirements. That means the NFL had to grant a roster exemption to the Ravens. They then used that open roster spot to sign a rookie who went undrafted, North Carolina linebacker Kaimon Rucker. Advertisement The 23-year-old finished his final season with the Tar Heels with six sacks, eight tackles for loss, and even an interception. That versatility was enough for the reigning AFC North champions to take a chance on him. It might have been a bit of an unorthodox way to get to an NFL team, but Rucker will be looking to prove that Baltimore did not make a mistake jumping through all of the hoops they did in order to sign him. Related: Ravens May Have Found a Diamond in the Rough Related: Lamar Jackson vs. Josh Allen Headlines Fantasy Debates
