It’s the nature of the NFL and every Baltimore Ravens training camp. Veterans mentor the rookies and youngsters who are competing with them for roster spots. Many of the guys who are still on their rookie deals won’t survive to earn an extension, which makes the average NFL career length shorter than 3.5 regular seasons.
Taken 45th overall during Round 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft, this is a contract season for the former Michigan Wolverine. Things haven’t gone as expected. During his first two NFL seasons, he missed all but five regular-season games and a playoff appearance. During the latter, he failed to crack the stat sheet.
Eighteen games with one start is the extent of his first three Ravens seasons. He has collected 16 tackles and four sacks. Heading into camp, he’s on the roster bubble, but by the looks of things, he seemingly has no desire to go quietly.
It’s hard to determine what should be gathered during practices where there are no pads and tackling isn’t permitted. All guys can do is make the most of the opportunities that they are given, and Ojabo certainly has done that.
David Ojabo continues to impress at Ravens camp.
Again, everyone is wearing shorts. That makes it hard to measure wins and losses. The eyeball test still works, though, and Ojabo has given Roger Rosengarten the business through the first days of practice. Some have wondered what the fourth-year Ravens defender might look like with a whole summer to prepare, and so far, they have gotten an encouraging answer. He has been impressive.
Harbaugh today on OLB David Ojabo: “This guy’s a highly touted player, and the narrative that has been pushed by some in this circle and the words that have been used are just insulting. The guy busts his butt, and he’s a hell of a player, and I expect him to have a great year.”
— Bo Smolka (@bsmolka) July 24, 2025
He suffered an Achilles injury in 2022. That led to his slide during that year’s NFL Draft. It also forced him to miss most of his rookie season. A partially torn ACL in 2023 ended his sophomore campaign prematurely. Now, he’s presumably staring up at Kyle Van Noy, Odafe Oweh, Tavarius Robinson, and rookie Mike Green on the depth chart in a room filled with very talented edge rushers.
Making the roster isn’t impossible, but it isn’t a given either. Ojabo must take advantage of every snap. If he’s to catapult himself onto the roster, he may need to leapfrog someone. Keep an eye on him. We’ll have to wait and see how things turn out.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: David Ojabo claws for survival in a crowded Ravens edge rusher room