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Even after suffering injury, Mel Kiper Jr. has high projection for Michigan’s David Ojabo
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David Ojabo’s draft stock to a hit in March. An unfortunate Achilles injury during Michigan’s pro day last month may result in the outside linebacker/edge rusher falling on some draft boards.
But ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. still believes there’s incredibly high upside to Ojabo’s game. He believes the former Wolverines star can be a safe, long-term pick for any team in the league.
There’s a chance he falls to the second round, where he could end up playing closer to Ann Arbor than previously expected.
“Ojabo is my top-ranked outside linebacker, even after he tore his Achilles last month and could miss most of the season,” Kiper writes in his latest mock draft. “If the Lions are thinking long-term, they could get a steal with a high-ceiling edge rusher.”
Ojabo had a stellar season alongside Aidan Hutchinson in 2021. He totaled 35 tackles with 11 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 3 pass break-ups and a fumble recovery. Michigan ended the season 12-2, won a B1G title and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff.
It’s unclear how much time Ojabo would miss of his rookie season, though there’s a good chance it’s a majority of it with the Achilles injury. Still, Kiper believes there’s a bright future ahead for the formerWolverine.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB