Ravens DT Justin Madubuike Looking Slimmer and More Muscular, Poised for Breakout Year
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike looks like a man on a mission.
He posted a photo on social media looking slimmer and more muscular.
Entering his third year, he is poised for a breakout season.
“Really expect him to take off, he and I talked about it,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “We expect him to take it to another level. That’s what he has practiced to do. I think he wants to be more consistent against the run, even though he played the run well last year. But he wants to start disrupting passes, a few batted balls, a few sacks. He is very determined. He looks good.”
The Ravens selected Madubuike in the third round of the 2020 draft from Texas A&M.
As a rookie, he had 19 tackles (11 solo), 1 sack, 2 tackles for a loss and 2 quarterback hits in 10 games (three starts).
Last year, Madubuike started 11 of 15 games last season and finished with 36 tackles and a pair of sacks.
This offseason, Madubuike spent time working out with Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, a Super-Bowl champion and three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
“I was up in Pittsburgh, yes. I was doing some footwork with him," Madubuike said. "He’s cool and [he’s] a great guy. I definitely just want to be around that energy to be great and just to learn from people who are great, too."
Madubuike is looking to add a Super Bowl to his resume', just like his mentor, Donald.
“It just reiterates to me just the hard work aspect," Madubuike said. "Just being able to work hard, it’s a day-to-day process. It’s not easy, but if it was easy, everybody would do it. So, you have to put yourself in that mental aspect and attack it. That’s what I learned from him.”
