David Ojabo’s injury could be the Denver Broncos NFL Draft gain
Before the Denver Broncos traded their ninth-overall pick to the Seattle Seahawks, one of the dream pairings seemed to be with University of Michigan’s Outside Linebacker, David Ojabo.
During his workout at Michigan’s Pro Day, David Ojabo dropped to the ground during a pass-rush drill, clinching his left leg, and had to be helped off of the field.
While all injuries are unfortunate, it is found that the injuries that are non-contact find themselves to be the most severe. Tests came back this morning on Ojabo’s injury, the results revealed what many feared, Ojabo tore his Achilles.
Already a raw prospect coming out of Michigan, Ojabo did not start playing football until 2017. His first season starting at Michigan was last season, which happened to be his last season there. However, that did not hamper his draft status as the NFL Draft is about finding untapped potential and ceilings, what a player can become and not what he already is.
Ojabo recorded 11 sacks and added 11 tackles for loss for the Wolverines in his lone season starting. He possesses all of the requisite tools to become an elite pass rusher in the NFL and is my favorite edge out of this deep class.
High ceiling is what I think of when Ojabo comes to mind. Tallying a pass-rush grade of 86.9 on roughly 300 snaps, according to PFF, is quite the feat considering that Ojabo only saw the field for a total of 26 snaps prior to 2021
When Ojabo rushes the passer, he doesn’t try to sack the quarterback per se, but he tries to sack the football, a trait that elite pass-rushers convey with them at the NFL level. Just look at Von Miller, for example, Super Bowl 50 would not have ended the way it did if Von Miller did not force two fumbles by then star quarterback, Cam Newton.
All of this is really unfortunate for the potential star Ojabo, but I don’t think it will derail his draft stock completely, just hamper it a bit with him missing an entire season. Tearing an Achilles is not the end of the world however, look at Los Angeles Rams running back, Cam Akers, and how he recovered in just six months to return for the postseason.
George Paton and the Denver Broncos do not pick until the 64th overall selection, but if David Ojabo were to somehow slide to 64, you absolute take him at 64, no questions asked. Let Ojabo red-shirt his rookie season and do not rush him back.
He can learn from veterans Bradley Chubb and Randy Gregory as well as give the Denver Broncos an option at filling Chubb’s shoes if an extension is not worked out between Chubb and the Denver Broncos.
David Ojabo is absolutely, unequivocally worth an investment.
While I don’t root for a tortuous slide for Ojabo on draft day, I would hope that George Paton ensures he doesn’t make it out of the second round, which would be best case scenario for the Denver Broncos and still a decent payday for the what would be first-round draft selection.