Over the next few weeks of training camp as the Eagles try to decide who to keep on their 53-man roster, we’ll be catching up weekly with seventh-round defensive tackle Moro Ojomo from Texas. We’ll be tracking his progress as he tries to make the Eagles’ roster.
The NFL might seem daunting for a 21-year-old rookie.
But Moro Ojomo realized something pretty quickly upon his arrival to Philadelphia: He’s not in this alone.
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“It is a new world,” Ojomo said. “But the vets here, guys have been here 10-15 years, want to pour into you. I really feel like there’s a strong culture here. Guys come out to practice early, guys are working hard. The oldest guys are running to the ball. They set a standard.
“It has been phenomenal to learn from guys like BG (Brandon Graham), Fletcher Cox, (Josh) Sweat, Haas (Haason Reddick).”
Ojomo said he thinks he’s learned more about football in the few months he’s been in the NFL than he ever had before. And he credits a lot of that to his new veteran teammates.
Cox has talked a lot in recent years about his desire to pass along knowledge to younger players and Ojomo has already benefitted greatly from that mindset.
NFL
“Fletch really tries to pour into us,” Ojomo said. “We’ll be in the meeting room and he’ll see something and he’ll speak on it. He’ll be like, ‘Hey, this is why you don’t do this. Your left hand right there …’
“I mean, that guy has had thousands of reps and he is pouring into us every single day. It’s great to have someone like that in the room. He’s taking initiative. He’s a great leader.”
Of course, all that knowledge isn’t completely free. Ojomo has to work for it. Aside from putting in the work as a player, there are rookie duties to fulfill.
Among those rookie duties, one of the most important is keeping the defensive line room stocked with water and snacks. Fetching the water isn’t easy. Ojomo said with a smile that he has to retrieve it from the farthest point in the equipment room and he doesn’t think that’s a coincidence.
When it comes to the snacks, he has to learn what all the veterans like.
“The Sour Patch Watermelon’s flying,” Ojomo said. “They’re going through that. Guys love the Reese’s. RAP Snacks? I’ve never heard of it. Like rappers, so like, rap, R-A-P. Guys like that.”
RAP Snacks? I didn’t know that was a thing?
“I didn’t know that was a thing either,” Ojomo said. “But it’s good stuff.”
The support Ojomo has felt from the organization goes beyond his new veteran teammates. He made sure to mention the weight room staff, nutrition staff, the folks in player development and engagement. Ojomo has learned to lean on the entire support system the Eagles have in place.
“Nobody gets anywhere alone,” he said.
And leaning on the support staff has allowed Ojomo to focus on his craft. He does that during practice but there’s a lot more that goes into it. Before chatting with NBC Sports Philadelphia on Sunday, Ojomo spent about 30 extra minutes working after practice on the sled.
When asked about the extra work he’s been putting in, Ojomo referenced a book he read during his junior year at The University of Texas: “Rich Dad Poor Dad”
“It talks about, basically, in life, when you do 10 minutes each day to try to get better, it shows off in the long run,” Ojomo said. “So just having deferred gratitude and working hard, putting your head down and working.”
After practices, walkthroughs, meetings, film study, lifting and putting in extra work, there’s not much free time left over. But when Ojomo is back at his hotel at night, he calls his family to let them know he’s OK. Then he’ll unwind by watching some TV.
Recently, Ojomo has been watching “Suits” and says he thinks he wants to get a law degree someday.
But for now, Ojomo is plenty busy being a professional football player, stocking snacks in the defensive line room and practicing his singing voice. Oh yeah, as Ojomo got off the practice field on Sunday, he was just a few hours away from his debut performance in the rookie talent show … in front of the entire team.
“Pray for me,” he said through a smile. More on that next time.
Goal for next week: “Getting 1 percent better every day. Getting better every single practice and just having a positive mindset and just believing in yourself.”
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