Sports

Bergen Native Jayson Oweh Selected By Ravens In 2021 NFL Draft

Oweh, an edge rusher who hails from Hackensack, was selected by Baltimore with the 31st overall pick.

Jayson Oweh is announced as the 31st pick to the Baltimore Ravens during round one of the 2021 NFL Draft at the Great Lakes Science Center on April 29, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Jayson Oweh is announced as the 31st pick to the Baltimore Ravens during round one of the 2021 NFL Draft at the Great Lakes Science Center on April 29, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Penn State edge rusher Jayson Oweh was selected with the 31st overall pick in the NFL Draft Thursday, becoming the first New Jersey native off the board.

Oweh, who was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, was selected with the Baltimore Ravens second pick in the first round.

On the team that drafted him, Oweh said it was "an honor to be a part of your organization."

Find out what's happening in Ridgewood-Glen Rockfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Oweh was born in Hackensack in 1998, and is the son of Tania and Hery Oweh. According to his Penn State football profile, Oweh was a four-star prospect coming out of Blair Academy, where he was ranked the second-best player in the state.

He didn't start playing football until his junior year, but showed flashes of potential with his elite athleticism. His production has yet to catch up with that potential, evidenced by Oweh recording zero sacks during the 2020 season.

Find out what's happening in Ridgewood-Glen Rockfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

However, The Ringer's Danny Kelly believes Baltimore's bet could pay off.

"Oweh has the combination of size, explosiveness, and power that makes him worth betting on; he may offer the highest ceiling of any pass rusher in this class," he wrote.

Keep up to date with what's happening in your community by subscribing to your local Patch newsletter here.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Ridgewood-Glen Rock