Eagles' Third-Year DT Has Looked Like A Star

Maybe the most impressive defensive player during the first 10 open practices of Eagles’ training camp has been third-year defensive tackle Moro Ojomo, whose day planner had read “wreak havoc” on a daily basis.

When Jalen Hurts has looked uncomfortable in the pocket this summer, it’s almost always started with the interior pressure Ojomo has provided in what needs to be a breakout season for the University of Texas product.

Some will say Ojomo already broke out in his second season as a consistent pass rush complement to Jalen Carter and Milton Williams. 

By the second half of the season, Ojomo has been performing so well he actually ended up playing more than Jordan Davis. If you count the postseason, Ojomo (490 defensive snaps) was on the field more than the 2022 first-round pick (445 reps).

The pressure percentage was there with Pro Football Focus grading out Ojomo as the sixth-best interior pass rusher in football (Williams was No. 1 and Carter was No. 4).

The next step is finishing. Ojomo still doesn’t have an NFL sack during the regular season, but did record his first professional quarterback takedown on Matthew Stafford in the divisional round of the playoffs. 

This summer, Ojomo has often put right guard Tyler Steen in a blender and has even given three-time Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson the occasional headache.

“He’s awkward in a good way,” Dickerson said of the 6-foot-3, 292-pound wrecking machine. “Just the way he moves, his size, his arm length. He’s one of those guys that we, quote, unquote, say is awkward to block. I think that gives him a huge advantage in this game.”

In the past, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has often mentioned Ojomo’s undersized frame as a potential pitfall to more playing time, but that seems to be dissipating as Ojomo continues to stack positive reps in practice against the best offensive line in football.

“I think he'll hold up well,” Fangio said last week. “He did last year when he played in there. He's a year older, a year of playing significant snaps under his belt, getting reps here in training camp. I think he'll do good.”

The Eagles need Ojomo to “do good” as the main piece of the village Fangio expects to replace William and his production.

"It gives me confidence going against the best offensive line," Ojomo said. "A lot of guys don’t get to ramp up in training camp and deal with this. I know every game will be easy once you go against this offensive line."

“He’s doing a lot of great things," Dickerson said of Ojomo. "I see him coming out here every day getting better and better.”