PHILADELPHIA – Moro Ojomo is used to early starts.
The Nigerian native started kindergarten at age 3 before moving to the United States when he was just 7. The sped-up process continued in the United States in California and South Texas, enabling Ojomo to enroll at the University of Texas at age 16.
Five years with the Longhorns means Ojomo arrives with the Eagles as a traits-fueled, seventh-round pick who is just 21.
“I think the advantages [of that fast track] were I get to be younger in the National Football League, I got to get my degree at a younger age, and I don’t know if I would necessarily say there were any specific disadvantages except maybe I would have been a higher-rated recruit,” Ojomo assessed at Eagles rookie camp on Friday.
Perhaps but Ojomo was still good enough coming out of Katy High School that he got offers from Alabama, Notre Dame, Miami, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas A&M along with the Longhorns, not exactly chopped liver in the college football pantheon.
Over 50 games with 29 starts at UT, Ojomo played up and down the line of scrimmage, inside and out, a versatility that somewhat mirrors what Milton Williams provided when he arrived in Philadelphia out of Louisiana Tech as a third-round pick in 2021.
It’s too early to presume where the Eagles will start Ojomo other than to say he’ll be regarded as a defensive tackle and be tutored by interior defensive line coach Tracy Rocker on a daily basis. Ojomo’s frame and athletic ability screams three-technique but the Philadelphia defensive scheme will require plenty of 4i as well, which is where the versatility should come in handy.
“I was just always ready to go to work,” Ojomo said. “I live life with a competitive edge in a sense, and I want to compete. I have one life to live, so why not compete, why not shoot for the moon and aim for the stars and do what I can do?
Indeed why not?
The scouting reports on Ojomo note the impressive physical gifts but there are some technique issues when it comes to getting off blocks.
“He’s got upside,” an NFC scout told JAKIB Sports. “He’s hot a live body. I see an old-school base left end with a live body but he’s also still young enough to turn the corner inside as a three-tech. There is a lot to work with there.”
Eagles’ GM Howie Roseman agreed with that assessment.
“That’s a guy who has traits in his body, he has 34-inch arms, he went to Texas as a 16-year-old, tremendous testing. He has position versatility,” Roseman said. “He was standing out on our board. We’re excited to get him in the seventh round.”
“I want to come in and contribute. I want to come in and learn,” Ojomo said. “This is a great organization with a great D-line with just great people great culture, everything. I just want to come in here and contribute as much as I possibly can and ultimately learn and keep increasing that.
“I don’t ever want to be stagnant.”
