David Ojabo's path to becoming a top NFL prospect has been a long one.

He was born in Nigeria then moved to Scotland at age 7. 

At age 15, Ojabo moved to the United States, going to boarding school at Blair Academy in New Jersey, where football wasn't on his mind at first.

"I was a basketball player, but that didn't really work out," Ojabo said at the NFL Combine in early March. "I switched to track. They just saw how I moved and [Odafe] Oweh, I seen the success he had after playing just one year and I thought I could do the same."

Oweh went on to play three years at Penn State and was a 1st round draft pick of the Ravens last year.

Ojabo played his way to Michigan, where he red-shirted his first year, but earned Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year. 

He finally saw the field in 2020, but in a limited role, mostly on special teams with some work on defense.

Ojabo got a much bigger opportunity in 2021 and, in turn, produced much bigger results. He registered 11 sacks and 12 tackles for a loss, earning consensus First Team All-Big Ten and 2nd team All-American honors.

"I'm just getting started," Ojabo said. "I've only played one year of true college football. I'm just learning."

The learning aspect is something he did a lot of over the past year, playing opposite of Heisman Trophy runner-up Aidan Hutchinson.

"Coming into this season he was projected as a top five pick, so I knew already that's a high-level guy," Ojabo said. "It was a smart thing to do, get in his hip pocket. In my head I thought if I did what he did I'd be top five. So I just latched on and did everything he did. Workouts, film, even asking him about his eating and sleeping habits. All that. Just try and get in his shoes."

Ojabo may be a raw prospect, but he showcases the physical tools that could forecast to a great player at the next level with the right development. He stands 6'4" and 250 lbs. and ran a 4.55 second 40-yard dash at the Combine.

Unfortunately, he tore his Achilles during drill work at Michigan's Pro Day. Most players are out at least nine to 12 months recovering, so it's very likely Ojabo would miss the entire 2022 NFL season.

This could push the sure-fire 1st round pick into the very back end of night one or even into Day 2.