Michigan Football mock draft: Projecting Wolverines top 3 picks

David Ojabo – Cleveland Browns 44th Overall

David Ojabo was gaining ground early in the draft process as a raw threat on the defensive line. Just as he was moving up draft boards though he suffered an achilles tear at Michigan’s pro day.

This was just a devastating injury for a player who put up 11 sacks opposite of Aidan Hutchinson. Early mock drafts had the former Michigan football standout going top 20 and even top 15 but with an injury sidelining him for quite a bit of time he will have to learn from some of the best.

Still, Ojabo showed his potential with his effective speed and spin moves getting to the quarterback this past year for a highly ranked Michigan defense.

The Cleveland Browns can afford a pick like Ojabo, with a guy like Myles Garrett on one side and possibly Jadevon Clowney resigning in the off-season at one point. Ojabo will be able to sit behind guys like Garrett and Clowney and learn from two past number one overall picks off the edge.

Though Ojabo has great potential he lacks in areas like defending the run and has limited experience. But being in a rising defensive system like Cleveland he will be able to polish his game as an overall defensive end. Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network had this to say about Ojabo.

"Ojabo isn’t a perfect prospect, but his ceiling may be as high as any 2022 pass rusher not named Kayvon Thibodeaux, and prospects with these kinds of physical gifts don’t last very long in April. Teams that implement wide-angled rushers will find great temptation in Ojabo’s game and will be best positioned to find an every-down role for him early in his NFL career as he continues to add seasoning and better understanding of the snap-by-snap workings of the game."

Many former Michigan football players will make an impact in the NFL and it will start on Thursday, April 28th on ESPN, ABC, and even the NFL network.