Bobby Okereke
refer to caption
Okereke with the Indianapolis Colts in 2022
No. 58 – New York Giants
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1996-07-29) July 29, 1996
Santa Ana, California, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school:Foothill
(Santa Ana, California)
College:Stanford (2014–2018)
NFL Draft:2019 / Round: 3 / Pick: 89
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Total tackles:569
Sacks:4.5
Forced fumbles:8
Fumble recoveries:5
Interceptions:5
Pass deflections:27
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Robert Nnanna Okereke (/oʊkərəˈkeɪ/ oh-kerr-uh-KAY;[1] born July 29, 1996) is an American football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft.[2]

Early years

Okereke was born in Santa Ana, California to parents who emigrated from Nigeria.[3] He attended and played high school football at Foothill High School.[4]

College career

Okereke attended and played college football at Stanford. He redshirted as a freshman in 2014.[5] He contributed on the field from 2015 to 2018. He recorded 227 total tackles (20.0 were for loss), 10.5 sacks, one interception (a 52-yard pick-six), eight passes defensed, one fumble recovery, and three forced fumbles.[6] He was named Pac-12 Honorable Mention in 2017[7] and 2018.[8]

Collegiate statistics

Year School Conf Class Pos G Tackles Interceptions Fumbles
Solo Ast Tot Loss Sk Int Yds Avg TD PD FR Yds TD FF
2015 Stanford Pac-12 SO LB 6 2 4 6 0.0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 1 0 0 0 0
2016 Stanford Pac-12 JR LB 12 12 27 39 4.0 3.0 0 0 0.0 0 1 0 0 0 0
2017 Stanford Pac-12 SR LB 13 56 32 88 8.5 4.0 1 52 52.0 1 1 0 0 0 1
2018 Stanford Pac-12 SR LB 13 52 42 94 7.5 3.5 0 0 0.0 0 5 1 0 0 2
Career Stanford 44 122 105 227 20.0 10.5 1 52 52.0 1 8 1 0 0 3

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span40-yard dash10-yard split20-yard split20-yard shuttleThree-cone drillVertical jumpBroad jumpBench press
6 ft 1+3⁄8 in
(1.86 m)		 239 lb
(108 kg)		 34+1⁄2 in
(0.88 m)		 10+1⁄8 in
(0.26 m)		4.58 s1.61 s2.67 s4.26 s7.02 s33.5 in
(0.85 m)		10 ft 2 in
(3.10 m)		16 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[9][10]

Indianapolis Colts

Okereke was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round (89th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft.[11] The pick was announced by former Colts punter Pat McAfee. He made his NFL debut in the season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.[12] He earned his first career start in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons.[13] In Week 13 against the Tennessee Titans, Okereke recorded a strip sack on Ryan Tannehill which was recovered by teammate Justin Houston in the 31–17 loss. This was Okereke's first career sack in the NFL.[14] In the 2019 season, he recorded one sack, 65 total tackles, two passes defended, and two forced fumbles.[15]

In Week 5 of the 2020 season against the Cleveland Browns, Okereke recorded his first career interception off a pass thrown by Baker Mayfield during the 32–23 loss.[16] In the 2020 season, he recorded 72 total tackles, one interception, and six passes defended.[17]

In the 2021 season, Okereke started in all 17 games. He finished with one sack, 132 total tackles, two interceptions, and four passes defended.[18]

In the 2022 season, Okereke started in all 17 games. He finished with 151 total tackles, five passes defended, and two forced fumbles.[19]

New York Giants

On March 16, 2023, Okereke signed a four-year contract with the New York Giants.[20][21]

Controversies

Okereke was the subject of a sexual assault investigation at Stanford in 2015. Three members of the university's five-person investigative panel concluded Okereke committed sexual assault, but the ruling didn't cross the 4-1 threshold necessary to pursue further punitive action.[22] Okereke has maintained that the allegations are untrue.[23]

References

  1. ↑ "2022 Indianapolis Colts Media Guide" (PDF). NFL.com. National Football League. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Meet the Bay Area NFL Draft Prospects: Stanford Linebacker Bobby Okereke". ABC7 San Francisco. April 24, 2019. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  3. ↑ Stankevitz, JJ (September 28, 2021). "It's Pronounced 'Oh-ker-uh-KAY:' Why Colts' LB Bobby Okereke Is Taking Ownership Of Cultural, Correct Pronunciation Of His Last Name". Colts.com. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Bobby Okereke's High School Timeline". MaxPreps.com. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Stanford offensive line looks ready to live up to billing". SFChronicle.com. August 19, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Bobby Okereke College Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Pac-12 Football All-Conference Team Announced". Pac-12. December 5, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Pac-12 Football All-Conference honors announced". Pac-12. December 4, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Bobby Okereke Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  10. ↑ "2019 Draft Scout Bobby Okereke, Stanford NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  11. ↑ Walker, Andrew (April 26, 2019). "Colts Select Linebacker Bobby Okereke With 89th-Overall Pick". Colts.com. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Indianapolis Colts at Los Angeles Chargers - September 8th, 2019". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Colts' Bobby Okereke: Drawing start Sunday". CBSSports.com. September 22, 2019. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Blocked field goal helps Titans turn table with win at Indy". www.espn.com. Associated Press. December 1, 2019. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Bobby Okereke 2019 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Indianapolis Colts at Cleveland Browns - October 11th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Bobby Okereke 2020 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Bobby Okereke 2021 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Bobby Okereke 2022 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  20. ↑ Eisen, Michael (March 16, 2023). "LB Bobby Okereke excited to be 'part of the rise'". Giants.com. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  21. ↑ Borba, Kevin (March 15, 2023). "Bobby Okereke agrees to deal with New York Giants". SI.com. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  22. ↑ Shapiro, Michael (June 5, 2019). "Colts Were Aware of 2015 Sexual Assault Accusation Before Drafting Bobby Okereke". SI. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  23. ↑ Abdeldaiem, Alaa (July 28, 2019). "Colts' Bobby Okereke Calls 2015 Sexual Assault Allegations 'Untrue'". SI. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
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