New York Giants edge rusher Azeez Ojulari, who set the franchise’s rookie record for sacks (8.0) last year, has bulked up this offseason. He’s added 10 pounds of muscle to help him battle it out in the trenches.
“I just felt like trying to improve my game, my weight to just hold up. I just feel good. Just wanted to get bigger,” Ojulari told reporters last Thursday.
Ojulari will also be aided by the presence of rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux, who was selected with the fifth pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
“We push each other out there already. To see him do that would be great, for sure. I believe we’re going to feed off each other and we’re going to help us in the long run. Can’t wait,” Ojulari told Giants.com.
For all of those reasons and more, Pro Football Focus sees a potential breakout season from Ojulari.
The Giants have been slowly building up their pass-rush unit the past few seasons, including using a first-rounder on Oregon edge defender Kayvon Thibodeaux in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Last season, New York drafted Ojulari in the second round, and he didn’t disappoint, putting up a 17.8% pass-rush win percentage and 28 total pressures on true pass sets. While his overall grade underwhelmed (58.3), he had three 80.0-plus game grades in 2021. Now accompanied by Thibodeaux on the opposite side, Ojulari can use his athleticism and bend on second-tier linemen, opening the door for a breakthrough Year 2.
Ojulari was considered a steal when nabbed in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, but even with 8.0 sacks he flew under-the-radar on a bad team. If he can continue his development under Wink Martdinale, he may very well be headed for a breakout season.
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