Who is Azeez Ojulari? What Giants fans need to know about the 2021 draft pick

Georgia’s top pass rusher over the past two seasons is off the board.

Outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari heard his name called in the second round Friday of the 2021 NFL Draft — No. 50 overall — by the New York Giants. He is the third Georgia player taken in this year’s draft.

Here are five things Giants fans should know about their new linebacker:

He was a Georgia Bulldog in college

Ojulari led one of the country’s best defenses in sacks over the past two seasons. He finished with 5.5 sacks in 2019 and then upped that total to 8.5 in 2020, a mark that led the SEC. Ojulari’s Georgia career ended with three sacks and defensive MVP honors in Georgia’s Peach Bowl win over Cincinnati.

Mel Kiper projection for Ojulari

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.: “As an outside linebacker, Ojulari has solid size and excellent athleticism, speed and natural bend. He displays elite edge rushing traits — including first-step burst and good body control — and has natural pass-rush instincts. His dip-and-rip move is outstanding. Ojulari also has a great closing burst to the quarterback once he turns the edge. He is much better rushing the passer than in coverage, but he shows good fluidity and range in underneath coverage when asked to drop. Versus the run, he has very good range and is slippery getting off blocks. He needs to get stronger at the point of attack, and while he’s a solid open-field tackler, he can improve in this area too.”

Ojulari PFF rating

According to Pro Football Focus, Ojulari earned a pass rushing grade of 91.7 last season. That mark is tops among the available pass rushers in this year’s draft.

Ojulari 40 time, NFL measurables

NFL.com lists Ojulari at 6-foot-2 and 249 pounds. At Georgia’s on-campus pro day this spring, he recorded 40-yard dash times of 4.62 and 4.66 while also registering a broad jump of 10 feet, 7 inches.

Ojulari has a brother at LSU

Ojulari’s brother B.J. is a star in his own right at LSU. His 2020 freshman campaign saw him record four sacks for the Tigers.