Ojabo Drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the Second Round of the NFL Draft
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Baltimore Ravens selected University of Michigan junior linebacker David Ojabo during the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft held at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas on Friday night (April 29). Ojabo is the third Wolverine defender picked in this year’s draft, with all coming within the top 50 selections.
He was selected by Baltimore with the 45th pick in the second round. Ojabo became the sixth Wolverine drafted by the Ravens. He is reunited with his defensive coordinator last season, Mike Macdonald, and will join former teammate Ben Mason with the organization.
Ojabo had a breakout season in his first year as a starter for the Wolverines. After contributing just one tackle in 2020, Ojabo played in all 14 games and started eight contests during the 2021 Big Ten Championship season, contributing 35 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, 11.0 sacks, one fumble recovery and three pass breakups. His 11.0 sacks were second only to Aidan Hutchinson’s school record (14) and placed Ojabo tied for fourth all-time in Michigan’s season record book. He led the Big Ten and was ninth nationally with five forced fumbles.
He excelled on the field and in the classroom, earning second-team All-American honors from the Associated Press and CBS while receiving CoSIDA second-team Academic All-American accolades. Ojabo was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and was voted as the team’s Most Improved Player on defense.
The 2022 NFL Draft concludes with rounds four through seven on Saturday (April 30). Television coverage will start at noon on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network.
Notes:
• The last time that Michigan had three players chosen in the first 50 picks of the NFL Draft was 2007 when four Wolverine defenders were off the board through 48 selections: CB Leon Hall (Cincinnati Bengals, 18), DT Alan Branch (Arizona Cardinals, 33), OLB/DE LaMarr Woodley (Pittsburgh Steelers, 46) and LB David Harris (New York Jets, 47).
• Ojabo is the seventh linebacker drafted during head coach Jim Harbaugh’s tenure and the 26th defensive player chosen in those seven drafts.
• He and Josh Uche are the program’s only second-round draft picks under Harbaugh. Uche was the 60th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
• Ojabo became the 390th player in school history drafted into the NFL, which is fifth all-time among all college football programs.
