Ojulari brothers may lastly crew up in NFL with Giants

NFL

By Ryan Dunleavy

March 1, 2023 | 10:24pm

INDIANAPOLIS — When BJ Ojulari had the prospect to crew together with his older brother in faculty, he as an alternative set his personal recruiting path to LSU over Georgia.

But, if the Giants determine to reunite the Ojularis by utilizing a first-round draft choose on BJ, he would welcome an opportunity to comply with Azeez’s footsteps to the quarterback.

Azeez (13.5 sacks in 24 profession video games) and final yr’s first-round choose Kayvon Thibodeaux (4 sacks) may gain advantage from one other stud exterior linebacker in rotation.

“We’ve always talked about it,” BJ stated Wednesday on the NFL mix. “If I end up with him, I think it’s going to be a blessing to play with my brother again and dominate on the other end of the ball.”

The Giants maintain the No. 25 choose within the late first-round neighborhood the place BJ is projected to get chosen and used one in all their 45 formal interviews this week on the youthful brother of their 2021 second-round choose.

If BJ was essentially the most ready to make an excellent impression, there’s an excellent cause.

“I lean on Azeez a lot: He’s been through the same process. He’s at the level where I’m trying to get,” BJ stated. “Just being able to meet the whole staff was a great feeling walking out of the room. He sent me a couple texts saying who was going to be in there, what to expect. The interview went very smooth.”

In a protection the place coordinator Wink Martindale and outdoors linebackers coach Drew Wilkins breed huge personalities, BJ’s confidence feels like an excellent match.

“I don’t talk too much trash,” BJ stated. “I like to let my game speak. I like to dominate over you. At the end of the day, I don’t have to talk trash: You are going to be thinking about me when you go to sleep at night.”

The Ojularis share DNA however not the identical talent set.

“We have some similarities, but I don’t think we play the same playing style,” stated BJ, who favors the velocity, lengthy arm and “ghost rush” transfer popularized by Von Miller. “Azeez is more like striking, a bulldozer. I’m using more speed moves and swipes and other things like that, which he’s able to use, but that’s not his style.”

One scout accustomed to each brothers instructed The Post that he graded Azeez larger and expressed issues that BJ is likely to be “a little stiff” and will have bother setting the sting in opposition to the run.

“My playing style is based on a lot of effort,” BJ stated. “Sideline-to-sideline plays. Chasing stuff down. Constant strain to the ball is a thing I take a lot of pride in.”

BJ had the extra productive faculty pass-rushing profession (22.5 sacks in 31 video games) and subsequent is attempting to high Azeez’s draft spot (No. 50).

Azeez, who declined an interview request, surprisingly slipped out of the primary spherical due to knee damage issues and was deterred by three unrelated accidents throughout his second season, however he is without doubt one of the NFL’s best move rushers when wholesome.

“Everything we did growing up, we competed,” BJ stated. “Playing video games, we used to butt heads all the time. I think that made us closer. He’s one of my best friends and best mentors now.”

The Ojulari brothers are the grandsons of Nigerian royalty, Prince Twin Seven Seven. The late painter and musician used to go to his grandsons in Georgia and created reminiscences — like getting paid $100 to eat grapes collectively — that predate even the brothers’ ardour for soccer.

“That’s where a lot of my pride comes from, just being able to live up to his expectations,” BJ stated. “I’m grateful for the relationship we had before he passed.”

Another household relationship is paying dividends now.

“Azeez told me to take as much knowledge as I can from this experience and enjoy the moment I’m in,” BJ stated. “Going to the next level, he’s already told me that it’s still just the game of football after I adjust to the speed.”