Young Ravens Pass Rushers Impress vs. Colts

For the Baltimore Ravens' young pass rushers, Thursday's preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts served as an audition of sorts.

Like most starters, Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh, who combined for 22.5 sacks last season, did not play on Thursday night, and likely won't for the entire postseason. That left the Ravens' younger pass rushers - including David Ojabo, Adisa Isaac and Mike Green - to lead the charge, and they more than held their own.

Ojabo and Isaac had the most tangible impact on the game, each recording a sack in the first half. Ojabo's came in the first quarter when he got to Anthony Richardson Sr. completely untouched for a huge hit, which unfortunately resulted in the quarterback dislocating his finger. Isaac's came in the second quarter and ended a Colts drive in their own territory.

"Like you said, we're all great [and] we're all getting better," Ojabo told reporters after the game. "Competition breeds excellence. We just have to keep going, keep on improving [and] keep on listening to [pass rush coach] Chuck Smith, [outside linebackers coach] Matt [Robinson], and ultimately, [defensive coordinator Zach Orr] 'Z.O.' They put us in the right positions."

Baltimore Ravens defensive linemen — Aug 7, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles (93) celebrates after batting down a pass at the line of scrimmage against the Indianapolis Colts during the third quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Green, a second-round pick out of Marshall, didn't have a sack on the night, but he pressured the quarterback on several occasions and was usually involved on the field.

"I mean I thought Mike Green was really, really active and it wasn't just Mike. I mean Mike was physical and active in the run and pass, but all those outside backers, I mean David played really well. Adisa played really well. All of those guys did a really nice job. I thought the young D-linemen, I mean you saw some guys in there that you haven't seen. [The] two international players [C.J. Okoye and Adedayo Odeleye] played really well. I thought that they were physical and good inside. The whole defense played well. It was good to see."

As Harbaugh mentioned, the interior defensive linemen also had a strong showing. Okoye, C.J. Ravenell and sixth-round rookie Aeneas Peebles all brought pressure on multiple occasions, and the latter even tipped a pass on the line. Ravenell had one of the most impressive plays of the night, though, forcing a high throw from Riley Leonard that linebacker Jay Higgins IV picked off.

INT by @_jhigg!!!

Tune in: WBAL pic.twitter.com/GPuLtyCHdh
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 8, 2025

A lot of these linemen are fighting for roster spots, and if they're not, they're fighting for playing time in the regular season. One preseason game obviously doesn't tell the full story, but it's hard to find many faults with their performances on Thursday.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!