Lighting doesn't often strike twice in the same spot. But that's what's happened at Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.). For two years in a row, it has landed 20-offer type talent at the defensive end spot. First, it was Jayson Oweh, who recently signed to Penn State over 26 other offers, while also being named an Under Armour All-American. But now its David Ojabo's turn, and he's already off and running.
The 6-6, 242-pound junior favors Oweh in more ways than one. Both were raw when they got to Blair and had never played organized football. Yet, both are elite athletes with elite size not often found throughout the country.
"Coaches say we're pretty similar but of course since he has a year on me experience-wise and this was my first year playing, I can't really compare hand-fighting and stuff," Ojabo said. "But speed-wise, we are the same. We did track together. I beat him, he beat me, so we're up there. We have the same times. You look on NJ Mile Split and our record is 11.27 tied (100). We were like tied exactly. We crossed at the same time. And that was my PR (personal record)."
In fact, Ojabo might have an even higher ceiling, some might argue.
"I have a longer wing span (6-8) and I'm bigger than him. I mean heavier," said Ojabo, the second-team All-MAPL pick. "And I think I have a little bit on him height-wise, too."
Being that a number of schools missed the early signs with Oweh -- who Rutgers was first to offer -- schools aren't making the same mistake with Ojabo.
He currently holds nine offers, including Rutgers, Boston College, UConn, Duke, Minnesota, Syracuse, Temple, Virginia and Columbia. He's also hearing from Maryland and Penn State, where his former teammate is headed. But he's strongly considering Ivy League schools despite the potential for a fruitful Power 5 recruitment.
"I mean, conference-wise I hear the Big Ten is the best that I have right now, which would be Rutgers or Minnesota," Ojabo said a couple weeks back. "But, I mean, for me, education's most important. So, for me and my family, Columbia is just as big of an offer because it's an Ivy League school.
"I mean, it depends how big-time I get. But as of right now, I would definitely take education over just football because football only lasts for so long. And then what happens after that, you know."
A native Nigerian, who moved to Scotland -- which boasts a Nigerian community -- as a kid with his father who took a job there, Ojabo lives with a host family while at Blair. Hence he knows what he's looking for in a school with his family thousands of miles away.
"I've been away from my family way too long for me to go to college in America and not have that family aspect again. So that would be a very key aspect for me. And then, of course, education next where the school offers the degree I want and the courses I want to study."
Although New Jersey isn't Ojabo's home, it is for the moment. But can the Rutgers staff capitalize on the easy recruiting access?
"Rutgers, I like them," he said. "I like how they're very consistent in their communication. They are just overall good people. They keep it real and I like how it's close by, as well. And the coaches are always up here checking in on me."
Ojabo has visited Maryland, Boston College and Rutgers. And he'll attend the Rivals 3-stripe and The Opening N.J. regional events this spring. He says he's never run the 40 yard-dash but would imagine he runs in the 4.5-second range, which is somewhat plausible, considering his personal record in the 100 (11.27).
Due to those metrics and the likelihood of additional offers, Ojabo doesn't plan on committing anywhere any time soon.
"I'm not even close," he said. "I only have (nine) offers and I know there are many more to come."
But his ultimate goal is to become one of the first noticeable football players out of Scotland.
"No one from Scotland has really made it big (in football)," he said. "So I'm trying to be the first to really go out and do just that."
Whether he makes it big or not, Ojabo already stands out for his immense size and athletic potential.
"I'm special," he said. "My dad's like 5-9, 5-10 and my mom's like 5-4. I don't know how it happened. It just happened."
