After a quiet first three years with the Ravens, David Ojabo feels ready to make some noise.
As a rookie in 2022, Ojabo appeared in just two games after suffering a torn Achilles during his Pro Day. In 2023, the outside linebacker partially tore his ACL in Week 3 and was done for the season.
That's a difficult way to begin an NFL career, but Ojabo's belief in himself has never wavered, nor has his work ethic. Entering a contract year, Ojabo knows every offseason phase is important, including this week's mandatory minicamp, where the pass rushers will be a storyline to watch.
For Ojabo, there really can't be an offseason. The early part of his career hasn't gone the way he expected, but in 2025, his plan is to make plays consistently.
"Trials and tribulations make a man," Ojabo said. "You've got to go through something to come out of it stronger. I know I came out of all this stronger. I know it's going to be a beautiful story at the end. I just have to keep my head down and keep working, never give up."
Ojabo finally avoided injuries during the 2024 season and appeared in 13 games, finishing with nine tackles, six quarterback hits, and two sacks on 275 defensive snaps. One standout moment was his pressure against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson in Week 16, which led to a hurried throw and a pick-six by Marlon Humphrey.
However, Ojabo will have to earn a place in this year's crowded outside linebacker room. Ojabo, second-round pick Mike Green, Tavius Robinson, Adisa Isaac, and others are vying for roles and roster spots behind Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh, who led Baltimore's pass rush in 2024.
Having a healthy offseason has allowed Ojabo to work on strength, conditioning, and technique rather than rehab, and he believes it will pay off. He has spent the past few months working diligently at the Under Armour Performance Center and has never felt better physically or mentally.
"I focused on the little things, my flexibility, strengthening areas that got weaker due to injury, working on my craft," Ojabo said. "I expect big things. I was here most of the time. The best way to train like a Raven is to train with the Ravens. Nothing can prepare you for what we do here better than being here."
Much will unfold between now and this fall but Pass Rush Coach Chuck Smith sees the foundation Ojabo is building.
"Ojabo's last year was pretty much the first year he was healthy," Smith said. "A lot of times when you're getting healthy, you're not necessarily gaining, you're just trying to manage to get back to where you started.
"This offseason, his platform has raised from the standpoint of, he's had a chance to work harder. He has worked really hard. Ojabo plays hard, he competes hard, and I'm excited about what he gets a chance to do in training camp."
The Ravens' defensive scheme has always felt comfortable to Ojabo. He played in a similar system in college under former Michigan and Ravens Defensive Coordinator Mike Macdonald, who's now the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.
"I've been in this system honestly about five years now, going back to Michigan," Ojabo said. "That experience is going to help me.
"The offseason is the prep work for the season, and this is all part of the bigger picture. OTAs are important, training camp's important, it's all building toward the season and the stretch run. You can't overlook anything."
Ojabo believes it would be a mistake to overlook him when sizing up the Ravens' roster. He was projected as a first-round pick coming out of Michigan and only dropped to the second round because of the Achilles injury.
His talent and potential have always been there, and he's still just 25 years old. Pass rushers often take several years to blossom. Will this be Ojabo's breakout year? We're about to find out, and he's thirsty for the opportunity.
"[Head] Coach [John] Harbaugh always says, 'The only way to get better at football is by playing football,'" Ojabo said. "What I'm paid to do is come out here and work, and that's all I'm focused on. What is there to be negative about? You can't get caught up in anything outside of reality. The reality is that I'm in the NFL, I'm part of the less than 1%. I'm doing what I love.
"You've got to approach the [past] injuries with a positive mindset. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I'm here. I'm alive. I'm blessed. I expect to take a jump this year, but I can't worry about the season, midseason, and the playoffs now. I just have to focus on getting better."
