The Michigan Wolverines fell to the Georgia Bulldogs 34-11 in the College Football Playoff semifinal Friday and received some expected bad news on Tuesday.
Michigan junior linebacker David Ojabo confirmed that he is joining teammate Aidan Hutchinson and declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft:
Next chapter… Thank you God pic.twitter.com/NZU1qx2doS
— KingJabo (@DavidOjabo) January 4, 2022
Per Tom VanHaaren of ESPN, Ojabo didn't play as a freshman in 2019 but enjoyed a breakout 2021 campaign, recording 35 total tackles, 11 sacks and 12 tackles for loss during what will be his final college season. Last month, ESPN NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. named Ojabo as the top player at the position and ninth overall on his list of top 25 prospects for the upcoming class.
"He has flashed advanced pass-rush moves — check out this spin on the right tackle for a strip sack against Indiana — and his athletic traits pop on tape," Kiper said of Ojabo at that time. "While Ojabo needs to work on his all-around game, there's a lot to like. He's still young; he could develop into an elite edge rusher."
Ryan Wilson, Chris Trapasso and Josh Edwards of CBS Sports all predicted in their latest mock drafts that Ojabo will be a first-round selection. Meanwhile, Walter Cherepinsky of Walter Football had Ojabo as a top-11 pick in a mock draft updated last Wednesday.
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