BJ Ojulari

NoteCARDS:

• Last name pronounced "oh-joo-LARR-ee." Full name is Jamiu Bolaji Ojulari.
• Selected by the Cardinals in the second round (41st overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft out of LSU. Was selected nine picks earlier than his brother - Giants LB Azeez Ojulari - was taken by New York in the second round (50th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft.
• Member of a Cardinals rookie class that led the NFL in total offensive/defensive snaps (4,654) by rookies and total starts (64) by rookies. Was also one of an NFL-high 11 rookies who started for the Cards in '23.
• Joined RT Paris Johnson Jr. as the only rookies to play all 17 games for Arizona in 2023. Finished the year with 40 tackles, 4.0 sacks, six QB hits, five tackles for loss and a pass defensed.
• Only six rookies in franchise history had more sacks in a season and his 4.0 sacks were the most for Cards rookie since Markus Golden (4.0) in 2016.
• In the Week 10 win over the Falcons, totaled eight tackles, 2.0 sacks, two QB hits and two tackles for loss. His 2.0 sacks tied the franchise single-game record for a rookie.
• After totaling six tackles in his first seven games, had 35 tackles, 4.0 sacks, five tackles for loss, six QB hits and a pass defensed in the final 10 games.
• Is a descendant of Nigerian royalty. His maternal grandfather was Olaniyi Osuntoki, who later changed his name to Prince Twins Seven-Seven (he was the sole survivor of his parents' seven sets of twins). A world-renowned artist, singer and dancer, Seven Seven had multiple hit records as a musician and his artwork was featured in the National Museum of African American Art at the Smithsonian. In the late 1890s, Prince Twins Seven-Sevens' grandfather was the King of Ibadan, a city in southwestern Nigeria.

NoteCARDS:

• Last name pronounced "oh-joo-LARR-ee." Full name is Jamiu Bolaji Ojulari.
• Selected by the Cardinals in the second round (41st overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft out of LSU. Was selected nine picks earlier than his brother - Giants LB Azeez Ojulari - was taken by New York in the second round (50th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft.
• Member of a Cardinals rookie class that led the NFL in total offensive/defensive snaps (4,654) by rookies and total starts (64) by rookies. Was also one of an NFL-high 11 rookies who started for the Cards in '23.
• Joined RT Paris Johnson Jr. as the only rookies to play all 17 games for Arizona in 2023. Finished the year with 40 tackles, 4.0 sacks, six QB hits, five tackles for loss and a pass defensed.
• Only six rookies in franchise history had more sacks in a season and his 4.0 sacks were the most for Cards rookie since Markus Golden (4.0) in 2016.
• In the Week 10 win over the Falcons, totaled eight tackles, 2.0 sacks, two QB hits and two tackles for loss. His 2.0 sacks tied the franchise single-game record for a rookie.
• After totaling six tackles in his first seven games, had 35 tackles, 4.0 sacks, five tackles for loss, six QB hits and a pass defensed in the final 10 games.
• Is a descendant of Nigerian royalty. His maternal grandfather was Olaniyi Osuntoki, who later changed his name to Prince Twins Seven-Seven (he was the sole survivor of his parents' seven sets of twins). A world-renowned artist, singer and dancer, Seven Seven had multiple hit records as a musician and his artwork was featured in the National Museum of African American Art at the Smithsonian. In the late 1890s, Prince Twins Seven-Sevens' grandfather was the King of Ibadan, a city in southwestern Nigeria.

Pro Career:

Originally entered the NFL as a Cardinals second-round (50th overall) pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of LSU.

2023: Played in all 17 games (only rookie to do so on the defensive side of the ball) and finished his debut season with 40 tackles (23 solo), 4.0 sacks, six QB hits, five tackles for loss and a pass defensed ... made NFL debut @ Was (9/10) and had one assisted tackle ... registered two tackles vs. Cin (10/8) ... had two tackles @ LAR (10/15) ... posted two tackles and a sack vs. Bal (10/29); recorded first career sack when took down Ravens QB Lamar Jackson for 10-yard loss ... recorded four solo tackles @ Cle (11/5) ... tallied eight tackles vs. Atl (11/12) and sacked QB Taylor Heinicke twice for a total loss of 17 yards; became the first Cardinals rookie since 2011 (LB Sam Acho - 2.0) to have 2.0 sacks in a game, tying the franchise single-game record for a rookie; one of 10 rookies in the NFL to have 2.0+ sacks in a game this season ... sacked QB C.J. Stroud @ Hou (11/19); became just the second Cardinals rookie since 2012 to have a sack in back-to-back games ... posted five tackles vs. LAR (11/26) ... recorded three tackles, one QB hit and a pass defensed @ Pit (12/3) ... registered five tackles (three solo) @ Phi (12/31) ... tallied five tackles, including one for loss in the season finale vs. Sea (1/7/24).

College:

A first-team All-SEC selection as a junior in 2022, Ojulari started 24-of-34 games played in three seasons (2020-22) at LSU and totaled 129 tackles, 25.0 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes defensed … a permanent captain at LSU, was awarded the prestigious #18 jersey at LSU as a junior in 2022; the Tigers #18 jersey is awarded annually to the player who best represents the outstanding traits of an LSU football player - both on and off the field ... in two seasons (2021-22) as a starter, Ojulari started 23-of-24 games and had 113 tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks and a forced fumble … SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week four times during his career, including twice in 2022 ... earned first-team All-SEC honors as a junior in 2022 after starting all 11 games he appeared in and totaling a career-high 58 tackles while finishing second on team in tackles for loss (8.5), sacks (5.5), and QB hurries (13) … also added a forced fumble and a fumble recovery … named a permanent team captain and was awarded the coveted #18 jersey for the season … had a career-best 11 tackles and sack for a four-yard loss in OT win over Alabama … twice named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week ... started 12-of-13 games played in 2021 as a sophomore and led all defensive lineman with 55 tackles … led the Tigers with a career-high 7.0 sacks and ranked second on team with a career-high 11.5 tackles for loss … added nine QB hurries and a pass defensed … had at least one tackle for loss in seven games and was credited with a sack in six contests … named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after recording three tackles and 2.5 sacks in a win over Central Michigan … had five tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and a pair of QB hurries in win over Texas A&M in the final game of regular season … capped season with six tackles and a sack vs. Kansas State in the Texas Bowl ... made an instant impact as a true freshman, playing in all 10 games with one start (at Auburn) … finished second on the team with 4.0 sacks, adding 16 tackles and 5.0 tackles for loss … named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week following a 3.0-sack performance in a win over South Carolina; 3.0 sacks rank as the second-highest single-game total in school history ... graduated high school early and enrolled at LSU in January of 2020 which allowed him to take part in spring practice.

Personal:

Attended Marietta (GA) High School where he was a two-way starter (also played RT) … ranked as the nation's #10 weak side defensive end by Rivals.com … competed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame World Bowl … finished prep career with 326 tackles and recorded a school-record 36.0 sacks in his four-year stint on varsity … set the school record with 19.0 sacks as a senior in 2019, leading his team to the Class 7A state championship … also forced four fumbles and had five fumble recoveries … averaged 7.6 tackles per game while playing 43 games … BJ's mother, Bolalne, and father, Monsuru, were both born in Nigeria and immigrated to America, settling in Marietta … brother, Azeez, is a LB with the New York Giants and set the franchise rookie record with 8.0 sacks in 2022.