'Double-Digit Sacks' For Ravens' David Ojabo?
Last season, the Baltimore Ravens allowed opponents to snap the ball just over 60 times a game. Rounding down to the nearest ten, David Ojabo, at a sack every 20 snaps, would be on place for 51 quarterback takedowns next year.
Rest assured, Ojabo isn't taking on that responsibility as he enters a crucial sophomore season ... the stakes are high enough as is.
Whether Ojabo truly deserves the "bust" label after just one season and an unfortunate medical history is a whole other conversation. But, considering some of the talent that went in the aftermath of his selections (such as George Pickens and Alec Pierce), the pressure will no doubt be raised on Ojabo as Baltimore enters of a potential championship-or-bust campaign.
Appearing on "The Lounge" podcast on the Ravens' official site, the second-year linebacker and 45th overall pick of the 2022 draft was asked how many sacks he expects in what's hopefully a healthy new year, despite a dislike of “putting numbers on things.”
“If we’re talking just factually, double-digits (sacks) is all I know,” Ojabo said.. “(I want to) go get the ball, get the quarterback, and win games.”
While it's far from the ludicrously high standards his limited action set, double-digit sacks would be him in some lauded Charm City company: Terrell Suggs accomplished the feat seven times while Elvis Dumervil is the all-time leader with 17 in 2014.
The fact that the Ravens drafted Ojabo in the relatively early stages of the second round after tearing his Achilles during his pro day at Michigan says a lot about his potential. Baltimore got a glimpse of what it hopes is its future in the regular season finale, as Ojabo victimized Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow for his first professional sack.
Ojabo feels like the bust label even followed from Ann Arbor. Whether it's fair to vilify him for getting hurt in the violent game of football (like Sam Bradford, Ki-Jana Carter, Robert Griffin III, and many more before him) is, again, a whole different conversation. The defender is well-aware of the stakes he's facing come the 2023 campaign.
“It’s going to be part of my story but I don’t want when they think about Ojabo they think about Achilles or think about injury,” he said. “I know it’s God’s plan, man, so I’m not thinking about it."
"‘Man, he lost millions, man, he fell out of the top 10.’ Guess what, I’m still playing football. You know I’m going to get what I need to get. So, I’m tired of hearing about the injury and, you know, put it in my past and move forward to get to work.”
Ojabo will get his first chance to impress on Aug. 12, when Baltimore kicks off its preseason slate against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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