ESPN's Bill Barnwell selects Azeez Ojulari among 2023 breakout players
ESPN's Bill Barnwell tried his hand at predicting the NFL's next wave of star players who could be in for a breakout 2023 campaign.
Among the players featured on the list was Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari.
"He has 13.5 sacks on 538 rush attempts, or just about one in every 40 tries," wrote Barnwell. "Nick Bosa, to bring up a star edge rusher, has generated one sack every 44 attempts over that same time frame. We can't project Ojulari to keep that level of production up over a full season, but if he stays healthy and only slips a little, we could be talking about him and Kayvon Thibodeaux as one of the best young edge rushing duos in football."
Injuries limited Ojulari to just seven games (five starts) in 2022. However, when he was out on the field, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound outside linebacker made his presence felt.
Ojulari recorded 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and seven quarterback hits on a mere 230 defensive snaps last season.
Back in 2021, the outside linebacker set a new official franchise rookie record with eight sacks.
Despite his success, Ojulari recently made it clear that he isn't concerned about his personal stats; he simply wants to help the team win.
"I don't even try to look at the numbers," Ojulari said last week. "At the end of the day, I just want to win and help my team be the best. When I'm out there on the field, (I) just try to be the best I can. Whatever it is, just make plays happen, just try, whatever it is, to help the team win, man, and the defense get better."
"It's going to be exciting," outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux said about playing alongside Ojulari. "For him on paper, you know how many sacks he had to how many plays he had, so just knowing that, I mean, if you can get him 17 games, who knows how many sacks you'll get. Yeah, he's definitely one of the most talented pass rushers I've ever played with. So yeah, I'm excited to really get it going."
View the best photos of outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari's career with the Giants.
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New York Giants defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) and Azeez Ojulari (51) during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday December 11, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey (Jerry Pinkus/ New York Giants)
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New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Sunday December 4, 2022 in East Rutherford, NJ (Evan Pinkus\New York Giants )
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New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 2 Thursday Night football game against the Washington Football Team on Thursday September 16th, 2021 in Landover, Maryland.
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New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a Week 4 football game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday October 3, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana
New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) wraps up Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) during a week 15 football game on Sunday December 19th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 13 football game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday December 5th, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida
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New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 18 football game against the Washington Football Team on Sunday January 9th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 2 Thursday Night football game against the Washington Football Team on Thursday September 16th, 2021 in Landover, Maryland.
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 9 football game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday November 8th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 8 football game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday November 1st, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 7 football game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday October 24th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 2 Thursday Night football game against the Washington Football Team on Thursday September 16th, 2021 in Landover, Maryland.
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) celebrates a sack with Leonard Williams (99) during a week 2 Thursday Night football game against the Washington Football Team on Thursday September 16th, 2021 in Landover, Maryland.
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 7 football game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday October 24th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 2 Thursday Night football game against the Washington Football Team on Thursday September 16th, 2021 in Landover, Maryland.
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 7 football game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday October 24th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 7 football game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday October 24th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 1 game against the Denver Broncos on September 12th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) watches from the sideline during a week 16 football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday December 26th, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 13 football game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday December 5th, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida
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New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 1 game against the Denver Broncos on September 12th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 1 game against the Denver Broncos on September 12th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
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New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 13 football game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday December 5th, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 7 football game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday October 24th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 13 football game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday December 5th, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 13 football game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday December 5th, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida
New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 14 football game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, December 12, 2021 in Inglewood, California.
New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 15 football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday December 19th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 15 football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday December 19th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 9 football game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday November 8th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 3 football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday September 26th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 11 football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday November 22nd, 2021 in Tampa, Florida
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 5 game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas on Sunday October 10th, 2021,
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 9 football game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday November 8th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 14 football game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, December 12, 2021 in Inglewood, California.
New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 14 football game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, December 12, 2021 in Inglewood, California.
New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 14 football game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, December 12, 2021 in Inglewood, California.
New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 14 football game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, December 12, 2021 in Inglewood, California.
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New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a week 9 football game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday November 8th, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
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New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51)
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New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during minicamp practice at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Thursday June 10, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a NFL Training Camp joint practice at the Cleveland Browns practice facility on Thursday August 19, 2021 in Berea, Ohio
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a NFL Training Camp practice at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Tuesday August 10, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a NFL Training Camp practice at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Thursday July 29, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during minicamp practice at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Thursday June 10, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
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New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during minicamp practice at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Tuesday June 8, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) during a NFL Training Camp practice at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Tuesday August 17, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey
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New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari (51) Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) sack Jale Hurts (1) during a NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagle, Sunday December 11, 2022 in East Rutherford, NJ (Evan Pinkus\New York Giants )
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