R.J. Oben

RJ Oben lines up across from a Lafayette offensive lineman

Position:
Defensive End
Height:
6-4
Weight:
255
Class:
Redshirt Junior
Hometown:
Montclair, N.J.
High School:
St. Peters

DUKE CAREER: Lettered four seasons (2020-21-22-23) … in 50 career games (33 starts), registered 67 tackles, 20.0 TFL, 14.5 sacks, one INT, five caused fumbles, one PBU and 24 QB pressures ... recorded 2+ tackles in 20 contests, including a career-best five against Charlotte and Pittsburgh in 2021 ... garnered 1.0+ TFL in 14 games, with a career-high 2.5 TFL against Charlotte (2021) and Pittsburgh (2023) ... registered lone INT versus Virginia Tech in 2021 ... posted a career-best three QB pressures against North Carolina (2021) and Boston College (2022) ... carded one caused fumble on five occasions against Charlotte (2021), Virginia (2021), Pittsburgh (2021), North Carolina (2022) and Miami (2022) ... earned 1.0+ sack on 13 occasions, including a career-best 1.5 sacks against Miami (2022) and Pittsburgh (2023) … on Duke’s career charts, graduated ranked eighth in sacks … played 1,570 career snaps.

2023: Saw action in 12 games (11 starts), missing the Birmingham Bowl against Troy … did not start against Notre Dame … recorded 17 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 5.0 sacks, one PBU and six QB pressures … finished first on the team in sacks and QB hurries and fourth in TFL … earned 2+ tackles in six contests, including a season-best three against Clemson and Pittsburgh … registered 1.0+ TFL on four occasions, including a season-best 2.5 against Pittsburgh … tallied 1.0+ sack four times with a year-high 1.5 sacks coming versus the Panthers … registered a season-high two QB pressures against Northwestern … lone PBU came against Louisville … on the field for 421 snaps.

2022: Saw action in all 13 games, making 12 starts … did not start against Wake Forest ... recorded 20 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 10 QB pressures and two forced fumbles ... led the team in QB pressures, while finishing tied for second in forced fumbles, third in sacks and fourth in TFL ... earned 2+ tackles in seven contests, including a season-best three against Northwestern and Virginia Tech ... posted a season-high 1.5 TFL and 1.5 sacks versus Miami ... tallied one caused fumble in back-to-back contests against North Carolina and Miami ... registered a season-high three QB pressures against Boston College ... earned 1.0 sack and one QB pressure against UCF in the Military Bowl to rank tied for third and tied for fourth, respectively, on Duke’s bowl game charts ... on the field for 485 snaps.

2021: Saw action in all 12 games, making 10 starts ... did not start against Charlotte and Wake Forest … recorded 25 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 5.0 sacks, one INT, eight QB hurries and three caused fumbles ... earned 2+ tackles in six contests, including a season-best five versus Charlotte and Pittsburgh ... posted 1.0+ TFL in five games, including a season-high 2.5 against Charlotte ... lone INT came against Virginia Tech ... finished second on the team in forced fumbles, earning one versus Charlotte, Pittsburgh and Virginia ... registered a season-high three QB pressures against North Carolina ... on the field for 568 snaps.

2020: Played in nine games, missing action against Syracuse and NC State … totaled four tackles and 0.5 TFL … recorded a season-high two tackles against Georgia Tech … carded 0.5 TFL versus Virginia … on the field for 72 snaps.

2019: Played in four games against Alabama, Georgia Tech, North Carolina A&T and Virginia before suffering a season-ending injury ... had surgery on October 21, 2019 to repair a left shoulder injury ... recorded lone tackle against North Carolina A&T ... on the field for 24 snaps.

PRIOR TO DUKE: Lettered three years at St. Peters HS under coach Rich Hansen ... consensus three-star prospect by ESPN.com, 247Sports.com and Rivals.com ... rated as the No. 51 weakside defensive end nationally by Rivals.com and listed at No. 57 by 247Sports.com ... the No. 124 defensive end nationally as ranked by ESPN.com ... Third Team NJ.com All-State selection following final campaign ... USA Today American Family Insurance All-USA New Jersey pick as a senior ... named to the Hudson Reporter All-Area High School Football Team as a senior ... two-time all-conference selection ... chosen to participate in the Pro Football Hall of Fame World Bowl ... during final campaign, recorded 28 tackles and 5.0 sacks ... also competed in track and field and was a three-time all-county pick in the discus.

PERSONAL: Born June 17, 2001 ... graduated from Duke in December 2023, with an economics degree, and a minor in African & African American studies ... son of Roman Oben and Linda Claude-Oben ... father currently serves as the NFL Vice President of Football Development after joining the league as the Director of Health & Safety in January 2015, was a four-year letterwinner (1992-93-94-95) on the football team at the University of Louisville and added three letters as a member of the track & field program before becoming a third round pick by the New York Giants in the 1996 NFL Draft, spending 12 years as an offensive tackle with the Giants (1996-99), Cleveland Browns (2000-01), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002-03) and San Diego Chargers (2004-07), starting on the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl XXXVII championship team, and in 130 of 143 games during pro career, and earning induction into the University of Louisville Football Ring of Honor and Athletic Hall of Fame ... mother played volleyball at New York University ... in August, 2022 completed the Bloomberg Terminal Certification with a focus on global economics and all investment assets.