LSU DE BJ Ojulari entering 2023 NFL Draft
LSU defensive end BJ Ojulari is expected to enter the 2023 NFL Draft, according to On3’s Matt Zenitz. The former 4-star prospect out of Marietta, Ga. enjoyed a First Team All-SEC season in 2022.
The No. 18 jersey recipient for the Tigers, Ojulari notched 58 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and a forced fumble this season. Head coach Brian Kelly credited him for leading the transition for LSU that led to an SEC West Championship.
“I would say off the field he embraced the change. He embraced really the mission,” Kelly said before the SEC Championship game. “That is graduating champions, the excellence that we wanted as a standard here from day one. You need that, right? You need your best players to embrace that. Elected as a captain for us. Led both on and off the field.
“He’s been an edge play-maker for us. I think when you’re talking about excellence both on and off the field, BJ Ojulari would be that guy that we would bring up.”
According to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, Ojulari ranked as the No. 76 overall prospect and No. 5 EDGE prospect in the country in the 2020 class.
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Despite the whirlwind that was the past two weeks for LSU, Kelly is looking forward to what’s in front him his team. The Tigers face Purdue in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 2.
“They’ve got exams, they’ve got to take care of their academics. So, first and foremost, academics,” Kelly said about what’s next for LSU on Sunday. “We’ll give them a chance to rest up a little bit, get them in the training room, some weight training. We have our end-of-the-year banquet where we’re going to celebrate our seniors on Sunday, thank them for what they’ve contributed to an SEC West championship.
“We’ll do exit meetings with our players, what they’ve done well, what we can do better as we look forwards another game, as well. We’ll practice next week. Again, there are other things that are as important as recruiting, and that is your team. We’re not going to rush off and forget about our players and the development of our players at this very crucial time, as well.”
LSU got big NFL Draft news on Monday when star receiver Kayshon Boutte shocked the college football world. The former 5-star prospect announced he is returning to LSU for the 2023 season.
