| Azeez Ojulari | |
| Current Team: | New York Giants |
| Number: | 51 |
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Birth Date: | 16 June 2000 |
| Birth Place: | Austell, Georgia, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 3 |
| Weight Lb: | 240 |
| High School: | Marietta (Marietta, Georgia) |
| College: | Georgia (2018–2020) |
| Draftyear: | 2021 |
| Draftround: | 2 |
| Draftpick: | 50 |
| Pastteams: |
|
| Status: | Active |
| Highlights: | |
| Statseason: | 2023 |
| Statlabel1: | Total tackles |
| Statvalue1: | 79 |
| Statlabel2: | Sacks |
| Statvalue2: | 16.0 |
| Statlabel3: | Forced fumbles |
| Statvalue3: | 4 |
| Statlabel4: | Fumble recoveries |
| Statvalue4: | 2 |
| Statlabel5: | Pass deflections |
| Statvalue5: | 3 |
| Statlabel6: | Interceptions |
| Statlabel7: | Touchdowns |
| Pfr: | OjulAz00 |
Azeez O. Ojulari (born June 16, 2000) is an American football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia and was drafted by the Giants in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Ojulari was born on June 16, 2000, in Austell, Georgia to Yoruba parents, and attended Marietta High School in Marietta, Georgia.[1] As a senior, he had 118 tackles and 11 sacks before suffering a torn ACL.[2] He was selected to the 2018 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He committed to the University of Georgia to play college football.[3]
After recovering from the torn ACL he suffered his senior season of high school, Ojulari played in two games his first year at Georgia in 2018 and took a redshirt.[4] [5] As a redshirt freshman in 2019, he played in all 14 games and made 13 starts. He recorded 36 tackles and 5.5 sacks.[6] [7] Ojulari returned to Georgia in 2020 as a starter.[8] [9] During the 2020 season Ojulari was named second-team All-SEC and was the defensive MVP of the 2021 Peach Bowl.[10]
Ojulari was selected by the New York Giants in the second round (50th overall) of the 2021 NFL draft.[11] He signed his four-year rookie contract on May 13, 2021.[12] Ojulari finished the season with 8 sacks which set an all-time Giants record for sacks by a rookie, surpassing B. J. Hill, who recorded 5.5 sacks in 2018.[13]
On October 22, 2022, Ojulari was placed on injured reserve.[14] On December 3, he was activated from injured reserve.[15] He finished the 2022 season with 5.5 sacks, ending the season second on the team behind nose tackle Dexter Lawrence in sacks.[16] [17]
On October 14, 2023, Ojulari was placed on injured reserve.[18] On November 11, the Giants reactivated him back on their active roster.[19]
Ojulari was born the son of Nigerian immigrants; his maternal grandfather was the late Yoruban artist and musician Twins Seven Seven.[20] His younger brother, BJ Ojulari, played college football at LSU and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2023 NFL Draft.