Getty The Baltimore Ravens are expected to use a returning draft pick in a situational role.
Staying healthy has been a major challenge for David Ojabo, so it’s probably sensible the Baltimore Ravens are planning to make limited use of the third-year edge-rusher.
Ojabo, the team’s second-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, is coming back from knee surgery that cost him all-but three games last season. The Ravens will have to manage his return carefully, so they “will probably use Ojabo situationally,” according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
Zrebiec believes Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy “will be the lead guys” on the edges of Baltimore’s front seven. Yet, there’s still a place for former Michigan standout Ojabo, and “the Ravens need him to become a piece this year.”
Ojabo’s chances of making meaningful contributions will be greater if he’s used selectively by defensive coordinator Zach Orr. The first-year play-caller can find ways to isolate Ojabo against weak blockers in obvious passing situations, or else create free rush lanes in sophisticated blitz packages.
Those schemes can ease the physical toll on Ojabo, while also playing to his core strengths rushing the passer. Strengths the Ravens have only seen in brief, albeit exciting, glimpses.
David Ojabo Has Raw Skills the Ravens Need
Ojabo’s raw skills include a combination of initial power and closing speed when rushing off the edge. The 24-year-old showcased those traits when he logged his first pro sack against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18 of the 2022 season.
FIRST SACK FOR OJABO AND GETS THE STRIP 👑
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This takedown was a reminder of why the Ravens used a premium pick to draft Ojabo, even after he’d suffered a torn Achilles at Michigan’s pro day. The sack also demonstrated Ojabo’s knack as a playmaker.
He stripped the ball from Bengals’ quarterback Joe Burrow, the same thing Ojabo did against C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans in Week 1 last season.
Splash plays like these are why the Ravens have been prepared to wait on Ojabo getting healthy and finally reaching his full potential. The wait could finally be over after head coach John Harbaugh identified “somewhere in training camp” as a likely return date, per Ravens.com Editorial Intern Matt Ryan.
The next step will be getting creative with his talents. Fortunately, the way the Ravens deployed Van Noy last season offers an ideal template for Ojabo to follow.
Kyle Van Noy Role Perfect for David Ojabo Plan
Van Noy is likely to play more this season after Jadeveon Clowney left town in free agency, meaning Ojabo can slide into the spot occupied by KVN in 2023. The veteran logged nine sacks, good for third on the team, despite playing only 52 percent of the Ravens’ defensive snaps after signing in Week 4.
Making the most of a limited workload meant turning select snaps into big plays. Van Noy managed it when he logged two sacks and a pair of pressures against the Detroit Lions in Week 7. He also notched two more QB takedowns and a trio of pressures against the Seattle Seahawks two weeks later, highlighted by Ravens.com Editorial Director Ryan Mink.
Kyle Van Noy wins with a delayed blitz and speed, then straight power on the edge for back-to-back sacks.
Ojabo has the core attributes to make similar plays as a third-down pass-rush specialist in a scheme that won’t change much, even though Orr has replaced Mike Macdonald as coordinator.
Orr can trust Van Noy and a menacing Oweh to handle starting responsibilities, but there’s a vacancy for a prolific third edge defender. This year’s third-round pick Adisa Isaac could make this key role his own, but the rookie is already “on the non-football injury list,” per Zrebiec.
Ojabo has experienced a similar struggle to stay healthy and involved, but if he’s 100 percent this year, the Ravens have the right plan to finally unlock his talents.