Omari Abor has been sidelined by an injury for the second year in a row.
The redshirt freshman defensive end will be out for multiple months after undergoing surgery this week, Ohio State coach Ryan Day confirmed Wednesday.
"He did have a procedure, but I don't know if I can get into all of the details on that," Day said. "It's gonna be at least a couple of months anyways, I guess, before he is back."
Day did not specify when the injury occurred, but Abor revealed he underwent surgery in a social media post on Tuesday. Abor was a full participant in Ohio State’s first practice of preseason camp, the only one that has been open to the media so far.
The injury to Abor leaves Ohio State with just six healthy scholarship defensive ends: JT Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer, Kenyatta Jackson, Caden Curry, Mitchell Melton and Joshua Mickens. Abor’s injury is unlikely to affect the top of the defensive end depth chart, as Tuimoloau and Sawyer are in line to start while Jackson and Curry are expected to be their top backups.
The surgery continues an injury-plagued start in Columbus for Abor, who appeared in just one game as a true freshman before suffering a knee injury that would sideline him for the rest of the year.
Abor is one of two Ohio State defensive linemen to suffer an injury since the start of camp, as Tyleik Williams suffered a knee injury during the opening day of practice, though Williams’ injury is not expected to affect his availability for the start of the season. Day said Wednesday that Abor is the only player who has suffered a long-term injury so far in camp.
Ranked as the No. 73 overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, Abor still has four years of eligibility at Ohio State.
