Odafe Oweh, an emerging young player at linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, is determined to make the league’s All-Pro team this year. After a quiet 2023, Oweh had a breakthrough season in 2024, setting a career-high 10 sacks and 23 qb hits. Now, he’s all-in on following up that success. In an attempt to break through, he’s changed his body this offseason, adding weight and strength.
Oweh, the 31st overall selection of the 2021 NBA Draft, has added a considerable amount of weight since the conclusion of last year. He went from 245 pounds to 265 pounds, the heaviest he’s ever been. Of this increase, he calculates that 12 to 15 pounds are straight muscle. This transformation is with the goal of making him a more effective and dangerous pass rusher once he’s on the field.
To reach this lofty aim, Oweh had a super strict diet of just dry chicken, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus. He called the food prep “all the gross,” but he said he wouldn’t be jacked to the max without it. The offseason involved a lot of training in Miami, where he concentrated on eating right, lifting weights and putting on weight.
The outside linebacker has a lofty sack goal for next year’s NFL season. He has chosen to obscure that particular figure. He is clear about one thing: he wants more sacks than last season. “That was always something that was looming in my mind,” Oweh stated regarding his aspirations.
Head Coach John Harbaugh is well aware that Oweh has All-Pro talent and considers his lofty goal of one day achieving that status within the realm of possibility. Harbaugh likes the trajectory Oweh is on. Simply put, I’m really excited with Odafe right now, in terms of what he’s done this offseason,” explained Harbaugh. He added, “Go be the best, be the best in the business,” reinforcing his belief in Oweh’s capabilities.
Oweh’s development as a player has been a theme since the day he stepped foot in the league. In three seasons he was only able to come up with 13 sacks. With his new physique and renewed focus, he plans to get more than that this year. Harbaugh acknowledged the competitiveness at Oweh’s position: “That’s tough because there’s a lot of good players playing his position. That’s the way he imagines himself, and let’s roll with it.”
So in addition to bulking up, Oweh has worked on staying mobile while getting strong. He knows that just piling on weight won’t cut it. Training needs to develop speed. “I guess it’s the way you train to keep the muscle. Then obviously, when you’re building muscles, be able to make sure you can be mobile with it,” he explained.
As the NFL season gets underway, former Penn State star Odafe Oweh is ready to unleash havoc on opposing quarterbacks as a member of the Baltimore Ravens. He is absolutely committed to improving his game, both with his physical transformation and his work ethic. Admittedly, the commitment is an easy way to position him for what he hopes will be a standout year.
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