Michigan football: John Harbaugh describes when he 'fell in love with' new Baltimore Raven David Ojabo

Michigan Wolverines football and the Baltimore Ravens share a connection beyond their head coaches having the same last name.

When asked, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and Baltimore Ravens head man John Harbaugh say their conversations typically revolve around family and life in general. But with two ultra-competitive coaches at the top of their profession, football is obviously a discussion point, too.

Just last year, Jim hired Ravens staffers Mike Macdonald and Matt Weiss to be his defensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, respectively. Then this offseason, Macdonald made the move back to Baltimore, becoming the franchise’s defensive coordinator, and former U-M analyst Ryan Osborn was brought in as a defensive assistant.

Those are quite the recommendations, coming from perhaps each coach’s most trusted confidant.

The two share ideas during NFL Draft time, too. Since Jim arrived at Michigan, the Ravens have drafted five Wolverines, most recently outside linebacker David Ojabo with the No. 45 overall pick in the second round of this year’s event. During that span, Baltimore hasn’t plucked more talent from any other school, though Alabama stands tied with five draftees.

It’s no coincidence, apparently, that the Ravens have picked so many from Michigan and Alabama. Just recently, John Harbaugh opined that those are the two programs run most like NFL organizations.

From Michigan, Baltimore took defensive tackle Willie Henry in 2016, defensive end Chris Wormley in 2017, offensive lineman Ben Bredeson in 2020, fullback Ben Mason in 2021 and now Ojabo.

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Sporting News (A+), Walter Football (A+), Bleacher Report (A) and The Athletic (A-) all gave the Ravens at least an ‘A’ grade for nabbing Ojabo, who was a projected top-15 pick before tearing his Achilles at U-M’s pro day, and John Harbaugh and Co. were ecstatic about the selection.

“I talked to Jim about it, and he’s in love with the person as much as anything else, and the player — my dad [Jack], as well,” the Ravens coach said on the ESPN NFL Draft broadcast. “That’s a big part of it. 

“When I fell in love with him was when I started watching the tape. You see the tape, and you see the things he can do, how hard he plays, the way he can bend the edge, dip up and around an offensive tackle and truly win a one-on-one pass rush, also chase balls down to the sideline, the enthusiasm he plays with. Those are all big factors.”

Ojabo had “no clue” which team would pick him, but he’s glad it was the Ravens. He’ll team up with his former Michigan teammate, Mason, and former Blairstown (N.J.) Blair Academy teammate, outside linebacker Odafe Oweh.

“I was just waiting and waiting to see my phone ring,” Ojabo said. “I saw the Ravens coming up, [and] I hoped for the best. God’s plan is coming through.”

The familiarity will be there, to say the least.

“It means the world,” Ojabo said of his situation. “That’s just how I know that it’s all part of the plan. What are the odds that the person who comes in and gives me a chance to play [at Michigan] ultimately is the guy I’m following to the next level as well? I just know that it’s all written, man. It’s meant to be.

“It’s all scripted. It’s all part of the plan. I can’t wait to work with [Oweh], Coach ‘Mac’, and even Coach Osborn. He’s the one that really trained me up this last season. So, I really can’t wait to get going.”

Going from Michigan to Baltimore should be a fairly easy transition for Ojabo once he’s healthy. The defensive system Michigan ran a year ago was based on what Macdonald did in Baltimore, and the organizations have similar structures. Last season, Jim Harbaugh said U-M strives to model its program after the Ravens in many ways.

“Quite a bit. Quite a bit, really. In almost all ways,” Harbaugh said. “Offensive philosophy, defensive philosophy, special teams philosophy. Coaches that have coached at the Ravens, coaches who have coached at the 49ers or Stanford. My brother John — yeah. There’s a lot of similarities.”