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Baltimore Ravens undrafted gem: EDGE Mario Ojemudia

By Sayre Bedinger

Sep 26, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Tanner Mangum (12) is tackled by Michigan Wolverines defensive end Mario Ojemudia (53) in the third quarter at Michigan Stadium. Michigan won 31-0. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Tanner Mangum (12) is tackled by Michigan Wolverines defensive end Mario Ojemudia (53) in the third quarter at Michigan Stadium. Michigan won 31-0. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Baltimore Ravens always draft incredibly well, but did they find a gem after the draft in undrafted free agent Mario Ojemudia out of Michigan?

The Baltimore Ravens are consistently one of the best teams in the NFL at drafting players, but they might have found a really good one outside of the draft this year in Michigan Wolverines edge player Mario Ojemudia.

Ojemudia played the DE spot at Michigan, but with his size at just over 250 pounds, he figures to play the 3-4 OLB spot or what many are now just calling ‘EDGE’ players.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. had some interesting things to say about the senior Ojemudia, who played in just five games this past year due to an Achilles injury that put him out for the season. Kiper thought he flashed some big time talent…

“The guy … who has a chance to be a really good player — you talk about all these injured guys — Mario Ojemudia is a kid, a defensive end who showed a lot of promise but he got hurt,” Kiper said. “Before that, I think he looked like a third or fourth round pick. He’s a kid to watch that could get lost in the shuffle that showed NFL ability.”

Oct 3, 2015; College Park, MD, USA; Maryland Terrapins quarterback Daxx Garman (18) is sacked by Michigan Wolverines defensive end Mario Ojemudia (53) at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 3, 2015; College Park, MD, USA; Maryland Terrapins quarterback Daxx Garman (18) is sacked by Michigan Wolverines defensive end Mario Ojemudia (53) at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports /

And he did indeed show NFL ability throughout his career, but we haven’t seen it for a consistent amount of time. We only were able to get five games of Ojemudia last season sadly, and the year before that, he was really starting to figure things out.

As a junior in 2014, he posted two sacks in a game against Northwestern, who was then being quarterbacked by Denver Broncos QB and 2015 7th round pick Trevor Siemian.

Ojemudia flashed his potential again as a senior, starting off the year with six tackles for loss in five games to go along with another pair of sacks.

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Michigan started using Ojemudia in the ‘buck’ linebacker position, which is probably a big reason why the Ravens sought after him as an undrafted player. Of course, there’s also the Harbaugh connection here. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is probably able to get some pretty good intel from his brother, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.

“He was really playing well, opening a lot of eyes,” Harbaugh said. “Where he’ll go, if he goes through the tough, grueling rehab, he’ll continue to playing football (in the NFL) next year, the year after and for some time to come. Because he’s a very talented player.”

It will be exciting to see how Ojemudia does in the Ravens’ system, or if he bounces around the league a bit. He’s certainly got the talent to push for a roster position somewhere and make a nice career for himself in this league.

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