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Scottish-Nigerian NFL prospect injures ankle at workout
Scottish-Nigerian NFL prospect injures ankle at workout
David Ojabo, a Nigerian-born Scotsman seen as one of the top prospects for next month's NFL Draft, suffered a left ankle injury during a workout for clubs on Friday.
Ojabo, a University of Michigan defender seen as a top outside pass rusher, was in a pass coverage drill with NFL coaches and scouts watching on the college campus at Ann Arbor when the injury took place.
Ojabo caught a pass and landed, then stumbled forward and fell to the turf, grabbing for his left ankle.
Trainers helped Ojabo off the field and he left the workout facility on crutches with a boot on his left foot and a wrap almost up to his knee.
"God got me!! ima be back stronger than ever," Ojabo tweeted. "All part of my story."
Ojabo, 21, had been considered a top-15 prospect by many analysts for the NFL Draft, which will be conducted April 28-30.
All 32 NFL teams were represented at the workout, including head coaches Mike Tomlin of Pittsburgh and Lovie Smith of Houston.
Ojabo was born in Nigeria and moved with his family to Aberdeen in 2007. A decade later, he moved to New Jersey with an interest in basketball but began playing American football and after several offers opted for Michigan, in part because the weather was similar to Scotland.
A Scottish flag is on full display on Ojabo's Twitter page.
Ojabo had 11 sacks and a one-season Michigan record five forced fumbles in a breakout 2021 campaign. He decided in January to enter the NFL Draft as an underclassman after clocking 4.55 seconds in the 40-yard dash at this month's NFL Scouting Combine workouts in Indianapolis.
P.M.Martin--SMC
