Notebook: Azeez Ojulari looks to keep sack streak going

Ojulari is working toward the level of play he demonstrated as a rookie in 2021, when he was the Giants’ second-round draft choice, from Georgia. He started 13 games while playing in all 17 and led the team and set a franchise rookie record with 8.0 sacks, including a career-high 2.5 sacks in a victory against Carolina.

Since then, Ojulari’s contributions have been much more sporadic, largely due to his health. In 2022, he missed 10 games with calf and ankle injuries, but still recorded 5.5 sacks in seven games. Last year, hamstring and ankle injury forced him to miss six games, and he finished with a career-low 2.5 sacks.

The Giants then launched a search for an edge rusher to line up on the opposite side from Thibodeaux. They sent second and fifth-round draft choices to the Carolina Panthers for Burns, a two-time Pro Bowler who joined Kansas City’s Myles Garrett as the only NFL players with 7.5 or more sacks in every season from 2019-23.

Burns’ arrival relegated Ojulari to a backup role. He did not start any of the first five games, a period in which he played between 19 and 28 defensive snaps – never more than 43.6% of the unit’s total. Then in Seattle, Thibodeaux suffered a wrist injury that required surgery and a stint on the injured reserve list. Since then, Ojulari has started all three games, played 45, 51, and 60 snaps, and been one of the defense’s most productive players.

“I feel like I’ve definitely grown for sure,” he said. “Taking it one day at a time, one step at a time, one rep at a time. The more you’re out there on the field, the more experience and confidence you have. The more of the game you’re able to fill out. I feel like I’ve been pretty good and smooth.”

Smooth is a word his coaches probably wouldn’t use, but they’ve been impressed by Ojulari’s recent contributions.

“I’ve been really pleased with Azeez and what he’s been able to do,” defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said. “It’s a professional football league, faced adversity, brought Brian Burns in, fell into a backup rotational role, kept working, kept responding to adversity, to a challenge in front of him. And then when his opportunity presented itself, he’s taken full advantage. So, really proud of him and the way he’s went about his business through the offseason, through training camp, up to this point. And excited to see the production that he’s having for us right now.”

Three years after his standout rookie season, Ojulari is finally healthy and contributing regularly. He never had a full sack in three consecutive games in college. Now that he’s a groove in the NFL, he wants to stay there.

“It feels great, because we put so much work into this game,” he said. “Nobody wants to be hurt, but it’s just part of the game and stuff you can’t control.

“It was an opportunity that popped up and I’m trying to take advantage of every one. I get everything, every chance, every rep I get and try to take it to the fullest I can. I know it’s my fourth year here and I just got to give it all I got and try to help this team win whatever we can play good defense.”