The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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42 THE WOLVERINE JUNE / JULY 2022 They love running the ball. They've got a bigger back like Derrick Henry, and I feel like I'm a bigger-type back. "So, I just feel like they love their run- ning backs, they love to run it and they love that physicality — and I feel like I've got all of it. I'm just ready to work, get down there and have some fun." The fifth and final U-M prospect se- lected was offensive tackle Andrew Stue- ber in the seventh round (No. 245 overall) to the New England Patriots. "He's just a guy you rely on all the time — that's who Stueber was at Michigan," ESPN's Todd McShay said on the draft broadcast. "And the reason why he didn't get drafted earlier was the traits, but I just have a feeling about this guy. Just like at Michigan, he wasn't a five-star or every- thing you look for, but something about him, the way he's always doing the right thing, he's gonna stick around." The five Wolverines selected brought the number of Harbaugh-era draftees up to 44, which averages out to just below 6.3 prospects per year dating back to the 2016 NFL Draft. The Big Ten Conference had a total of 48 players selected on draft weekend with Penn State (eight) and Ohio State (six) leading the way. Michigan and Wis- consin tied for third with five each, while Michigan State and Minnesota had four apiece. The SEC led all conferences with 65 selections, topped by Georgia and LSU. ❏ Michigan football and the Baltimore Ravens share a con- nection beyond their head coaches sharing the same last name. When asked, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and Baltimore Ravens head man John Harbaugh say their con- versations typically revolve around family and life in general. But with two ultra-competitive coaches at the top of their professions, football is obviously a discussion point, too. Just last year, Jim hired Ravens staffers Mike Macdonald and Matt Weiss to be his defensive coordinator and quar- terbacks coach, respectively. Then this offseason, Mac- donald made the move back to Baltimore, becoming the NFL franchise's defensive coordinator, and former U-M analyst Ryan Osborn was brought in as a defensive assistant. The two share ideas during NFL Draft time, too. Since Jim arrived at U-M, the Ravens have drafted six Wol- verines, most recently outside linebacker David Ojabo with the No. 45 overall pick in the second round of this year's event. During that span, Baltimore hasn't plucked more talent from any other school, though Alabama stands tied with five draftees. From U-M, Baltimore took defensive tackle Willie Henry in 2016, defensive end Chris Wormley in 2017, offensive lineman Ben Bredeson in 2020, fullback Ben Mason in 2021 and now Ojabo. Sporting News (A+), Walter Football (A+), Bleacher Report (A) and The Athletic (A-) all gave the Ravens at least an "A" grade for nabbing Ojabo, who was a pro- jected top-15 pick before tearing his Achilles tendon at Michigan's pro day. John Harbaugh and Co. were ecstatic about the selection. "I talked to Jim about it, and he's in love with the person as much as anything else, and the player — my dad [Jack], as well," the Ravens coach said on the ESPN NFL Draft broad- cast. "That's a big part of it. "When I fell in love with him was when I started watching the tape. You see the tape, and you see the things he can do, how hard he plays, the way he can bend the edge, dip up and around an offensive tackle and truly win a one-on-one pass rush, also chase balls down to the sideline, the enthu- siasm he plays with. Those are all big factors." Ojabo had "no clue" which team would pick him, but he's glad it was the Ravens. He'll team up with his former U-M teammate, fullback Ben Mason, and former Blairstown (N.J.) Blair Academy teammate, outside linebacker Odafe Oweh. "I was just waiting and waiting to see my phone ring," Ojabo said. "I saw the Ravens coming up, [and] I hoped for the best. God's plan is coming through." The familiarity will be there, to say the least. "It means the world," Ojabo said of his situation. "That's just how I know that it's all part of the plan. What are the odds that the person who comes in and gives me a chance to play [at Michigan] ultimately is the guy I'm following to the next level as well? I just know that it's all written, man. It's meant to be. "It's all scripted. It's all part of the plan. I can't wait to work with [Oweh], Coach 'Mac', and even Coach Osborn. He's the one that really trained me up this last season. So, I really can't wait to get going." Going from Michigan to Baltimore should be a fairly easy transition for Ojabo once he's healthy. The defensive system U-M ran a year ago was based on what Macdonald did in Baltimore, and the organizations have similar structures. Last season, Jim Harbaugh said U-M strives to model its program after the Ravens in many ways. "Quite a bit. Quite a bit, really. In almost all ways," Harbaugh said. "Offensive philosophy, defensive philosophy, special teams philosophy. Coaches that have coached at the Ra- vens, coaches who have coached at the 49ers or Stanford. My brother John — yeah. There are a lot of similarities." — Clayton Sayfie Michigan-Baltimore Ravens Connection Continues With David Ojabo Drafted in the second round (45th overall) by the Baltimore Ravens, Ojabo moved from a Jim Harbaugh-coached team to a John Harbaugh-coached squad. He also was reunited with his former U-M defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, now in the same role with the Ravens. PHOTO COURTESY BALTIMORE RAVENS TWITTER