David Ojabo Is Damaged Goods And The Bucs Should Not Draft Him First
April 25th, 2022
Please, not at No. 27.
This would be a reckless move and Joe doesn’t think Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht is a reckless man.
In his “Football Morning in America” column today, Daylight Savings Time-scared, crossword-puzzle-puzzled, Elon-Musk-peeved, Barstool-Sports-triggered, almond-milk-sipping, hot-dog-eating-contest-protesting, mock-draft-scowling, L.L.-Bean-wearing, tennis fans’ advocate, Second Amendment abolitionist, Mike-Florio-arguing, parrot-insensitive, chewing-with-his-mouth-open, soup-gulping, California-train-romancing, anti-football proliferation, outhouse-admiring, airline-napping, steerage-flying, Yogi Berra-worshiping, urinal-picture-taking, video-game-playing, Taylor-Swift-listening, pickpocket-thwarting, Bucs-uniform-frowning, Allie LaForce-smitten, Big-Ten-Network-hating, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, craft-beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball-box-score-reading, NPR-honk, filthy-hotel-staying, fight-instigating, barista-training, Budweiser-tolerant, baseball-scorecard-keeping, pasta-feasting, vomit-dodging scrooge, Kay-Adams-following, Coors-Light-souring, pineapple-upside-down-cake-eating social activist and NFL insider Peter King of NBC Sports fame believes Licht will be reckless on Thursday night and draft damaged goods Michigan defensive end David Ojabo at No. 27.
Did Joe mention he blew out his Achilles last month at his pro day?
When you have a team with a lone goal to win the Super Bowl — and with the greatest quarterback who ever lived very likely leaving next year — drafting a guy who might not be 100 percent healthy until 2024 is asinine if not irresponsible.
Here is how King sees it:
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: David Ojabo, edge, Michigan
Ojabo tore his Achilles at the Michigan Pro Day and likely will not play football in 2022. Before the injury, he was considered a prospect to go somewhere between seven and 15. I don’t know that he’ll get picked in the first, but I do know four teams are intently interested in him. One is having some significant medical tests done on him in the next two days, to see how his recovery is progressing and to judge whether he can play maybe very late this season or, if not, how healthy he will be a year from now.
Ojabo was the complement to Aidan Hutchinson on the Michigan defensive front, and his will and tenacity are much admired. If you’re the Bucs, you might not need the edge play of Ojabo this year. But with veteran rusher Shaq Barrett due to be 31 next year and the unsigned Jason Pierre Paul likely a one-year play this year if that, a duo of Ojabo and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka for the future is something the Bucs would love to have going forward.
This is crazy talk, plain and simple. Joe could maybe see drafting this Ojabo in the second round at No. 60. Preferably Joe would rather see the guy drafted in the third round. But at No. 27?
An Achilles is a major injury and a lot of guys are never the same after it. Surely King knows this. A lot of guys are never the same after blowing out an Achilles.
What do players lose when they have a ruptured Achilles? Burst. Anyone ever see a decent edge rusher who has a slow first step? Nah, neither has Joe.
If Licht wants to draft Ojabo’s teammate, safety/cornerback Dax Hill, at No. 27, OK. If Licht wants to trade up and pilfer pass rusher Jermaine Johnson of Florida State, cool. King has the Packers, choosing right after the Bucs, grabbing Penn State edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie. He would be a better selection than Ojabo for the Bucs.
Drafting Ojabo just absolutely screams Da’Quan Bowers.
Enjoy the new Ira Kaufman Podcast.
April 25th, 2022 at 4:01 am
I was not aware of Ojabo’s injury, and agree. He is not the right choice for immediate impact in a small SB window. He would be a good pick for a team patient with 3 yrs or more to work with. There are plenty of edge options in draft, and plenty still in free agency.
April 25th, 2022 at 5:14 am
King hates us and wants us to draft all of the sorry or broken players. Chris Olave! Hell, I’d rather have Jermaine Johnson, but I don’t think that we have the ammo to get him unless we’re giving up future number one’s.
April 25th, 2022 at 5:34 am
Karloftis if we’re going edge.
April 25th, 2022 at 6:12 am
The title says it all. Enough said!
April 25th, 2022 at 6:36 am
He and Godwin could bench sit the year together.
April 25th, 2022 at 6:38 am
King’s logic doesn’t hold water. We’re contending for a Super Bowl, have lost JPP, and King concludes that the Bucs ‘might not need the edge play of Ojabo this year’. Seems to me like improving our DLine now is one of our greatest needs. Actually, since we’re currently missing Suh, McLendon AND JPP, better make that 3 of our greatest needs.
Last year’s defense should’ve been nicknamed ‘The Walking Wounded’. Lots of guys hurt as we all know, but also a lot of guys who played while hurt & listed as Questionable (like LVD, JPP, SMB, Dean, Davis, White, Whitehead, Winfield). How badly that really hurt our defense is anyone’s guess.
April 25th, 2022 at 6:40 am
The bucs drafted Tyron in the 1st round to replace JPP.
April 25th, 2022 at 6:55 am
I feel like the Jets with pick 38 in the draft could roll the dice with someone like David Ojabo.
The Jets have picks 4, 10, 35, 38 and 69. They could use all those other picks to try to get help this year and then hope that Ojabo would be a difference maker for them next year.
April 25th, 2022 at 7:05 am
Was thinking Bowers myself. Hell no
April 25th, 2022 at 7:32 am
DRAKE JACKSON!!!
April 25th, 2022 at 8:00 am
If I was going to draft an injured player to sit the bench this year I believe I would select linebacker Damone Clark in the fourth round.
April 25th, 2022 at 8:07 am
OMG… not this adjective sh*t again
April 25th, 2022 at 8:10 am
Way too much of a risk…..this isn’t the year for that…..hell, we’d be better off trading the pick for a picks next year.
Our first round pick must be an absolute winner….the good news is that we could draft the right player at any of these positions (not necessarily priority order)
DT, OG, DE, CB, WR, TE, S,ILB, RB
Surely there’s a player that stands out at 27 that we’ll grab.
April 25th, 2022 at 8:11 am
Maybe the same source King used to determine that Brady hates Arians and the Buccaneers.
April 25th, 2022 at 8:26 am
I was pretty disappointed in King w/ that pick when I read that in his FMIA article this morning. Boo sauce on that. Not in 1st round….not for him at least
April 25th, 2022 at 8:40 am
Go Bucs
April 25th, 2022 at 8:43 am
Peter King is paid millions of dollars to cover a sport he no longer loves. In that same article, he sincerely wonders why Mel Kiper didn’t get the jab, but trusts that he has a good reason. Of course he didn’t extend that grace to a single player (who’s not at risk) who didn’t want the jab. He was wrong about all of that, just like he was wrong about Kaepernick, and now wrong about this pick.
April 25th, 2022 at 8:57 am
I was immediately thinking bowers too
April 25th, 2022 at 9:02 am
Allbuccedup … Don’t disagree that JTS (hopefully) will be a starter this year & thus replace JPP. With Shaq at the other bookend, Bucs need 2 more OLB to keep a decent rotation going & to fill in for injuries. Nelson is 1 of those (although if he has a good year the Bucs will have a very tough time affording him in 2023 when he becomes a FA).
Elsewhere on our roster we have Gill & Ponder as OLBs. I’m sure that both of them strike fear in the hearts of NY Jets fans, but probably not-so-much for quality offenses like the Rams & Chiefs. Bucs need a 4th OLB/DE, not just for 2023 & beyond, but also for this year if we’re gonna contend for the SB.
April 25th, 2022 at 9:04 am
Does Peter King think we’re going Ojabo in 1st or is that “AQ/Ohrnberger”’s Bucs 1st round pick?! 😂 jkjk
That is kind of ludicrous though. Plus, I’d much rather get Sam Williams in the 3rd round-ish than Ojabo in the 1st round anyway
April 25th, 2022 at 9:06 am
Peter Schrager has us mocked to take the Michigan Safety Dax Miller at 27.
As some other posters have said, we need help THIS Year, not next year.
April 25th, 2022 at 9:09 am
I dont see that happening….we dont have the luxury of eating up draft picks or cap space for a player who definitely will NOT contribute this season. We are all in and that means getting guys who definitely WILL contribute to another SB run. I think we saw last year that even if healthy, young DEs rarely make an immediate impact in year one due to the speed of the game and understanding assignments.
Toney, the Giants WR, might be appealing to us because he offers versatility/depth and probably upgrades our return game. 0-line, DT, RB, CB, TE….all have shown the ability to make solid contributions right away.
April 25th, 2022 at 9:31 am
I wouldn’t rule out Licht selecting David Ojabo. I sure as hell wouldn’t, but I’m not the Buc’s GM.
Licht selected Kyle Trask with their second-rounder last year. I think the pick should have gone to a position of need, which was CB as the CB position group was the least-capable position group on the Bucs, and the shallowest in terms of depth talent. I believe that when you have a championship window, you do all you can to emphasize winning before that window slams shut. Trask had no short-term value; Ojabo unfortunately can be viewed the same.
There’s always a possibility that Ojabo could play very late this season, but that would be a very optimistic projection.
April 25th, 2022 at 10:09 am
Drafting Andrew Booth screams Dequan Bowers too
April 25th, 2022 at 10:11 am
There’s no way we’re making “next year” picks with Brady under center.
April 25th, 2022 at 10:14 am
@Passing Thru, have to agree with you completely, word for word. Unless Trask comes in to rescue the Bucs bc of an injury to Brady (God forbid), that was a waste of a pick
April 25th, 2022 at 11:52 am
It’s idiotic. We need contributors THIS YEAR. If this guy lasts to the late 2nd round, then maybe give him consideration.
April 25th, 2022 at 12:24 pm
The Bucs drafted a DE that momentarily played across from Bosa at OSU. His name was Noah Spence. That didn’t work out so well.
April 25th, 2022 at 2:22 pm
If we had Trask at QB then drafting him somewhere makes sense. But we are on a lease of a year if we draft him at all. Brady is here this year and after that? Probably not. This year David Ojabo just won’t help us win a Super Bowl.
April 25th, 2022 at 6:53 pm
No chance. Last year when they thought they were set at edge rusher, maybe. This year, no chance, they need help on the D line now.
April 25th, 2022 at 7:05 pm
westernbuc Says:
“Peter King is paid millions of dollars to cover a sport he no longer loves. In that same article, he sincerely wonders why Mel Kiper didn’t get the jab, but trusts that he has a good reason. Of course he didn’t extend that grace to a single player (who’s not at risk) who didn’t want the jab. He was wrong about all of that, just like he was wrong about Kaepernick, and now wrong about this pick.”
.
.
He’s actually paid by the corporate oligarchy to be a social justice marxist. The sports stuff is just his cover.
April 25th, 2022 at 7:16 pm
Defense Rules Says:
“Nelson is 1 of those (although if he has a good year the Bucs will have a very tough time affording him in 2023 when he becomes a FA).”
.
.
IF I WAS IN CHARGE [said in my big man voice] I would try to offer Nelson a 2-year extension right now before he has a good year. His per-snap spreadsheet looked very promising last year.
April 25th, 2022 at 7:24 pm
sasquatch Says:
“If this guy lasts to the late 2nd round, then maybe give him consideration.”
.
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This makes a lot more sense. Not only due to our need for an immediate contributor, but paying a guy first-round money to rehab all year does not seem like a good risk, especially for an achilles. Many Achilles rehabs don’t get 100% until after a full season back. See OJ Howard. So you are looking at possibly not seeing his full potential until his 3rd year. That’s crazy expensive on a 1st round salary.
April 25th, 2022 at 9:08 pm
This is a job for the medical examiners. I can see the Pats taking someone like Ojabo, letting him rehab for a year, then slowly developing him. They rolled the dice on Derek Rivers, and he turned out to be a super bust.