David Ojabo suffers Achilles injury ahead of NFL draft

Scottish NFL draft prospect David Ojabo has suffered an injury during Michigan Wolverines’ pro day, with reports suggesting he won’t play until the second half of next season.

The Aberdonian has had a meteoric rise, impressing in college football to be hotly tipped as a top draft prospect for NFL teams. Ojabo took part in the annual NFL Combine earlier this month and has already spoken to several team, including the Los Angeles Chargers, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants.

The 21-year-old was participating in the Wolverines’ pro day on Friday, where players take part in a series of drills and training ground routines to let professional sides assess their physical attributes and talents.

While going through a pass coverage drill, Ojabo’s left leg gave out and he collapsed to the ground in clear pain.

NFL.com has reported that an MRI scan has revealed a tear to his Achilles tendon, which could rule him out for around six months. It’s unclear how that will affect his draft hopes, but he could be back in action for the second half of the season.

Ojabo took to Twitter on Friday to show a positive outlook after a significant blow.

God got me!! ima be back stronger than ever🖤all part of my story.
— KingJabo👑 (@DavidOjabo) March 18, 2022

The linebacker, rated as one of the best defensive players in college football, spoke to STV in January after deciding to put himself in the NFL draft after just a year at Michigan. Ojabo, who was born in Nigeria before growing up in Aberdeen, felt that the move to America to pursue his dream was on the verge of delivering, with a multi-million dollar contract inevitable for a player tipped to be among the top ten draft picks.

“The dream is to move on to the NFL and just keep going higher and higher,” Ojabo told STV.

“It’s just a sense of fulfilment, knowing how much I’ve sacrificed. I didn’t know what would come out of moving to America when I was 15.

“Everybody had their doubts, but it was a risk we took as a family and it’s a good feeling to see it paying off.”