Ojabo Draws Comparisons to Former High School Teammate Odafe Oweh

OWINGS MILLS, Md. —David Ojabo and Odafe Oweh were high school teammates at Blair Academy in New Jersey.

Now, they've been reunited on the Ravens.

The two playmaking linebackers have drawn obvious comparisons.

“I’d say the similarity is they are both fast, twitchy, athletic players," Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz said. "I’d say coming out, Ojabo is probably a little bit cleaner as a bender edge rusher, where Oweh’s game was burst and power. Then versus the run, Oweh is more developed as an edge setter."

Oweh is coming off a solid rookie season. He appeared in 15 games (two starts) and finished with 33 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss, 5 sacks — second-most on the team — and 15 quarterback hits.

Oweh also had a team-high 3 forced fumbles and 2 fumble returns, helping Baltimore produce the NFL’s No. 1 rush defense (84.5 ypg). Oweh joined Terrell Suggs (2003) as the only Ravens in team history to produce at least 5 sacks, multiple forced forced fumbles and multiple fumble returns in their rookie season.

Expectations are also high for Ojabo, who is still dealing with an Achilles injury he suffered at the NFL Combine.

Last season at Michigan, Ojabo appeared in all 14 games with six starts at outside linebacker, finishing with 35 tackles, including 12 for loss, 11 sacks, and three pass breakups. He also had eight quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery, and a program-record five forced fumbles.

"Now, if you ask Odafe what he needed to get better at going into his last year at Penn State, he needed to get better at setting the edge," Hortiz said. "He started his last year at Penn State with the goal to be a three-down player and be the best edge setter he can be. He ended up winning All-Big Ten, or being named All-Big Ten, with zero sacks, because he was so dominant as an edge setter and then he obviously had all of his pressures.

"I’d say David is probably not as firm as an edge setter, but not to say he won’t become as firm. Certainly, his ability to rush the passer, and like I showed you guys, get the ball out, that’s a gift that he has that’s pretty exceptional.”