Deep dive on Azeez Ojulari's rookie season and how he can impact Giants in 2022

Over the next few weeks, we'll be taking an in-depth look at the 2021 seasons for the Giants' 2021 rookie class. We continue with a look at Azeez Ojulari, who was taken No. 50 overall in the second round.

After Kadarius Toney was taken in the first round, it was clear that the Giants were going to address one of their lines. Some believed Micah Parsons should've been that man (and he certainly proved it for the Dallas Cowboys this season), but the Giants went with another edge rusher in the second round. 

Ojulari fell to No. 50 and the Giants snatched him up after trading down in the second round themselves. He was a force for the Georgia Bulldogs, and though an old teammate of his, Lorenzo Carter, didn't really work out after being selected by Big Blue back in 2018, the Giants were willing to try again with someone from the program. 

It seems that bet paid off in Year 1. Let's break down Ojulari's rookie season and how he can impact the Giants even more in 2022:

Sack Streak

Ojulari was expected to be somewhat of a project when he was drafted, despite going in the second round. He has tons of raw talent that Georgia tapped into, however there were more apples to pull from the tree while in college, for lack of better words. 

But Ojulari didn't seem like someone who needed developmental work when he took the field to start his rookie season. He tallied a sack in each of his first three games, with seven combined tackles (two for loss) and one forced fumble. 

Of course, the Giants lost all three of those games, but it was hard not to smile when you saw that on the stat sheet for Ojulari. 

Simply put, the Giants' pass rush has been nonexistent for quite some time and seeing Ojulari put up consistent numbers like that was great to see, especially when others on the line weren't helping the cause much. 

The streak would end and Ojulari would go three games without recording a sack. But when the Carolina Panthers came to East Rutherford in Week 6, he made up for it with 2.5 sacks, four QB hits, and three tackles for loss in the team's 25-3 victory. 

In seven games, Ojulari totaled 5.5 sacks and it was quite clear he was the best edge rusher the team had. 

Looking For More Consistency

Following that insanely good game against Carolina, Ojulari fell in a bit of a rut. He was getting some hurries on quarterbacks, but there were four straight games with no quarterback hits, let alone sacks. And the tackling numbers diminished a bit as well. 

That's something that Ojulari will be looking to rectify in 2022. Giants fans saw what he can do, but a great pass rusher shows consistency. 

Of course, these players aren't machines and getting to the quarterback is one of the hardest jobs in sports. But a consistent rush is all an edge defender can dream of, so that should be the goal for Ojulari. 

Double-Digit Sacks

Depending on where you get your stats from, Ojulari actually finished the year with double-digit sacks, at least per Pro Football Focus. And as it should, it meant a great deal to Ojulari. 

That's because it's a definitive mark that he made an impact in his first year in the league, and has the skills to continue improving to keep that double-digit streak alive. 

Impact in 2022

Patrick Graham figured out how to maneuver the Giants' line to get the best out of his players, especially Ojulari. 

But a brand new coaching staff will meet Ojulari during the offseason program and new schemes will have to be learned under Don "Wink" Martindale and the rest of the staff. 

However, I like the prospect of Ojulari playing in Martindale's blitz-heavy scheme. It's almost a requirement for his edge rushers to be consistent in their pursuit of the quarterback because it's constant pressure that makes it work so well. Just look at what the Baltimore Ravens were able to do the past few years. 

Martindale is likely to put a good amount of pressure on Ojulari to perform, but he really does seem up to it. And I expect Martindale will see the same things that Graham did in him. 

The Giants could have something special in Ojulari and his rookie year proved that.