Amobi Okoye - Youngest ever Senior Bowler (19) and Jon's Comments

[Bucalicious]

I know this is a Defensive rebuilding year. I dont know how I would feel about this guy, but I tell you what... at 19 that gives him a LOT of upside. This guy will be able to play in the NFL for 3 or 4 years longer than most others.

What do you guys think?



http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?s...v=ap&type=lgns

19-year-old Okoye poised to join NFL
By JOHN ZENOR<, AP Sports Writer
January 24, 2007


MOBILE, Ala. (AP) -- Louisville defensive tackle Amobi Okoye wants to be a top 5 pick in the upcoming NFL draft, help his team to the Super Bowl as a rookie and do a good job managing all that money.

Being able to legally grab a beer with his teammates will have to wait a couple of years.

The 19-year-old Okoye will become the youngest player to compete in the Senior Bowl, a showcase for senior NFL prospects set for Saturday.

"This is where I'm supposed to be," he said. "It's nothing new to me."

Besides, Okoye is hardly an unproven commodity. He signed with Louisville's Bobby Petrino as a 15-year-old in Huntsville, Ala., and grew into a muscular 6-foot-2, 312 pounds.

His resume reads more like a high-tech prodigy than a football player: College at 16. Degree in 3 1/2 years. Job interviews with a couple of dozen prospective employers.

He started school at age 2 1/2 , skipped sixth grade and entered high school in Huntsville at 12 after his family moved from Nigeria.

And now on to the NFL, where he'll be facing offensive linemen who were playing high school ball before he was born.

"I'm ready for it," said Okoye, a second-team AP All-American. "It's going to be a challenge. Every time a challenge has been put before me, I've always been ready to accept the challenge and just go out there and do the best I can do.

"It's a lot of money for a 19-year-old. But that was my whole motivation last year. I wanted to be a 19-year-old millionaire. Hopefully I'll be that."

Okoye is projected as a likely first-round pick, and some NFL mock drafts have him going in the top 10.

It only took one Senior Bowl practice for Okoye to make an impression on North coach Jon Gruden.

"It's really unbelievable. He went out there and was knocking people around. He didn't look like he was 19," said Gruden, coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "I've just got a tremendous amount of respect for him and how he's been raised. He's obviously a very smart guy to accelerate his academics the way he has. He may be young, but he is not lacking any physical attributes at this point."

Even with his hat turned backward and a somewhat skimpy goatee, the massive Okoye doesn't look 19. But given his age, teams are also going to gauge his mental maturity along with those physical skills.

"When you look at the tape, the guy's an explosive football player," Gruden said. "He really has a chance to play. You just worry about what he's going to do at night, 10 o'clock with no bed check. That's what I worry about with a 19-year-old kid. I worry about that more than anything else."

Teenagers with fat paychecks have been far more common in the NBA and pro baseball.

Okoye, however, points out a significant difference. Those guys either are fresh out of high school or have minimal college experience. He has been playing college ball since his first year out of high school and has a degree in psychology.

"I think college is something everybody should go through," Okoye said. "I learned a lot in college. I learned a lot about life, and I grew."

"He's very mature," said running back Kolby Smith, a Louisville and Senior Bowl teammate. "He's aware of everything that's going on around him. Like they say, he's wise beyond his years."

Okoye has big ambitions. He's "shooting for the first five" draft picks. He would love to follow in the New Orleans Saints' Reggie Bush's footsteps and play for a winning team as a rookie.

"I'm sure he definitely enjoyed his first year going to the NFC championship game," Okoye said. "Maybe I can do something like that and maybe go even further than that, to the Super Bowl."

He's used to people wondering if he'll be able to handle a big leap in competition and pressures at such a young age.

Okoye said that when Petrino was asked about his youngest signee four years ago, the coach "said he was going to wait until I started shaving before he played me.

"I went out there and showed him my capabilities and my talent, and he told them he went out and bought me a razor."

He played in all 13 games as a freshman. But he also showed glimpses of his potential upside with a breakout senior season.

Okoye had 23 tackles and half a sack as a junior. Those numbers jumped to 55 and eight last season, earning him unanimous selection as first-team All-Big East Conference.

Okoye wouldn't mind rejoining Petrino and position coach Kevin Wolthausen, both now with the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons have the 10th overall pick.

"(Petrino) helped me out with a lot of things and I helped him out with a lot of things," Okoye said. "I think we have a pretty good relationship. My old position coach is here, too. I saw him this week.

"Seeing him kind of brought a smile to my face."

[Monty'sCircus]

if the bucs end up picking @4...I say pull the trigger as long as CJ and Thomas are gone. This guy seems like he maybe something special in the making

[HoodedChampion]

I don't want him at 3 or 4. Hope to God if CJ is gone that we can trade down.

I would really love if some how we could get Okoye and Reggie Nelson.

How awesome would that be?

[cadillac willy]

Originally Posted by HoodedChampion

I don't want him at 3 or 4. Hope to God if CJ is gone that we can trade down.

I would really love if some how we could get Okoye and Reggie Nelson.

How awesome would that be?

good call.

It would be better if CJ's still on the board though.

[longislandbuc]

Originally Posted by HoodedChampion

I don't want him at 3 or 4. Hope to God if CJ is gone that we can trade down.

I would really love if some how we could get Okoye and Reggie Nelson.

How awesome would that be?

would love to figure out a way to package picks to get ginn and okoye.

[Monty'sCircus]

Originally Posted by longislandbuc

would love to figure out a way to package picks to get ginn and okoye.

Ginn Jr= Santana Moss....a sports car that spends more time in the garage than on the road

3rd or 4th might be a bit high to draft this guy, but I'de still love to see us take him.

I watched the Senior bowl and this guy along with the Purdue and Ohio State DE's was the most explosive guy on the field. Those two DE's really stuck out, but for a 19 at DT, this guy is going to be a monster.

He could start from day one. Line him up right next to Hovan and our DL will be dominant again.

[longislandbuc]

Originally Posted by Monty'sCircus

Ginn Jr= Santana Moss....a sports car that spends more time in the garage than on the road

i don't know. played on a toe he broke last year in late october (and presumably november). still returned punts and kickoffs and obviously had a big impact in osu/umich game.

he's clearly tiny, but we are talking about replacing joey galloway. ginn's essentially his clone. you send both those guys up the field, and clayton and alex smith can work effectively underneath. not a bad setup.

[DeadEagle]

Originally Posted by PirateAttack

3rd or 4th might be a bit high to draft this guy, but I'de still love to see us take him.

I watched the Senior bowl and this guy along with the Purdue and Ohio State DE's was the most explosive guy on the field. Those two DE's really stuck out, but for a 19 at DT, this guy is going to be a monster.

He could start from day one. Line him up right next to Hovan and our DL will be dominant again.

If he ends up being a perenial Pro Bowl player....... I see no reason in not taking him.

And yes, he'd cure alot of ills on this defense.

[BucFanClw]

Our D is VERY dependant on pressure from our front 4. Anyone that actually watches the games should be able to tell you that by now.

CJ = a guy that may make a few good catches here and there. Not a huge boost to offensive production as a whole

AO= a guy that has the ability to create a lot of pressure causing opposing QB's to make mistakes that our D can capitalize on. Big impact on overall defensive play.

Big impact on D > Decent impact on O

[DeadEagle]

Originally Posted by BucFanClw

Big impact on D > Decent impact on O

I'm all about the botton line.

There it is folks.

[longislandbuc]

Originally Posted by DeadEagle

I'm all about the botton line.

There it is folks.

nonsense. shouldn't the argument be Big Impact on D vs. Big Impact on O ???

i like okoye. would definitely want the bucs to draft him (pref. after trading down or packaging picks to have two in mid-to-late first round), but are we really saying CJ "makes a few good catches here and there"? apologies to elvis, but ten million draft pundits can't all be wrong.

let's level the playing field and say CJ has as big an impact on offense as okoye would on defense. who's more important to bucs? i say okoye.

i wish i bought into joe thomas bc i'd argue his impact might be bigger than either okoye's or cj's. BUT i don't think he's an ogden, pace, or jones in the making, so i wouldn't spend the pick on him at 3 or 4.

[40Forever]

19 Yrs old at this size, started playing college ball at 15?
Is it possible this guy lied about his age when he immigrated from Nigeria at 12 yrs old?

I like him, but he flop hard being so young in the NFL. He would need teammates with a lot of character to keep him on the straight and narrow. Cinci of Minnesota maybe?

[Bucalicious]

Originally Posted by 40Forever

19 Yrs old at this size, started playing college ball at 15?
Is it possible this guy lied about his age when he immigrated from Nigeria at 12 yrs old?

I like him, but he flop hard being so young in the NFL. He would need teammates with a lot of character to keep him on the straight and narrow. Cinci of Minnesota maybe?

We arent talking about a kid who just came out of Highschool, as highlighted in the article. This kid has finished college, and is well beyond his years mentally. Phsyically he isnt missing anything either.

So the only thing you should consider with his age, is that he will have a bigger upside (a lot more years) to play. He's got the tallent and he has the pre-req's.

The more I thinka bout this kid, the more I like him.

[longislandbuc]

Originally Posted by Bucalicious

We arent talking about a kid who just came out of Highschool, as highlighted in the article. This kid has finished college, and is well beyond his years mentally. Phsyically he isnt missing anything either.

So the only thing you should consider with his age, is that he will have a bigger upside (a lot more years) to play. He's got the tallent and he has the pre-req's.

The more I thinka bout this kid, the more I like him.

agreed. okoye prime example of a "character" guy. mangini and belichick probably foaming at the mouth at the thought of drafting this kid.

[I'm an 0-26 Survivor]

"It's really unbelievable. He went out there and was knocking people around. He didn't look like he was 19," said Gruden, coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "I've just got a tremendous amount of respect for him and how he's been raised. He's obviously a very smart guy to accelerate his academics the way he has. He may be young, but he is not lacking any physical attributes at this point."

Even with his hat turned backward and a somewhat skimpy goatee, the massive Okoye doesn't look 19. But given his age, teams are also going to gauge his mental maturity along with those physical skills.

"When you look at the tape, the guy's an explosive football player," Gruden said. "He really has a chance to play. You just worry about what he's going to do at night, 10 o'clock with no bed check. That's what I worry about with a 19-year-old kid. I worry about that more than anything else."

This is what I worry about, coach. I worry about you not doing your homework and dismissing someone based on suppositions and other criteria. I worry about you having millions of dollars at your disposal and more draft choices than we have had in years, and then making decisions based on reasons that you pull out of a hat, among other places.

I worry about that more than anything.

[JudgeDredd]

Originally Posted by BucFanClw

Our D is VERY dependant on pressure from our front 4. Anyone that actually watches the games should be able to tell you that by now.

CJ = a guy that may make a few good catches here and there. Not a huge boost to offensive production as a whole

AO= a guy that has the ability to create a lot of pressure causing opposing QB's to make mistakes that our D can capitalize on. Big impact on overall defensive play.

Big impact on D > Decent impact on O

HAHA. Come on you can't seriously believe that.

As much as I would love AO here, he's not worth the 4th.

Also calling CJ a Decent Impact is a joke. This kid has more talent in his left shoe than most NFL WRs. Granted we don't know how he'll do just yet, but his talent and potential ranks right up there with the likes of Torry Holt. And if you're going to call Holt a decent impact to an offense, I'm out.

[NoAlibi]

I will break a lot more things in the house if we draft Joe Thomas than I did when we drafted Mike Clayton.

[caddy&clayton]

I'd like him a lot, but if CJ is gone and we can't find a way to trade down, I'd rather see Jamaal Anderson. I would love Okoye though. maybe we can nab Pittcock with Pick 35-36 if we don't get Okoye.

This is my first day mock draft, revised....
1) Calvin Johnson WR, Georgia Tech

2a) Charles Johnson DE, Georgia
2b) Justin Harrel DT, Tennesee

3) Mason Crosby K, Colorado (Bryant is good but doesn't have a good leg *usually* . Crosby has hit multiple from over 50 in his college carrer, and as stated in his Draft Countown Profile, despite playing in Boulder, CO, he has also hit long kicks at sea level)

[Psykes]

Originally Posted by NoAlibi

I will break a lot more things in the house if we draft Joe Thomas than I did when we drafted Mike Clayton.

Please do name what you broke (amuse me).

[Xandtar]

The guy must be brilliant, if he's a college senior at 19. I mean, when did he start high school, age 11?

[Bucalicious]

Ya well I dont think it would hurt to have some serious brains on the D. Thats a future captain if you ask me.

[Acacius]

I didn't realize he was from Huntsville. Yet another reason for me to be the board's Official Okoye Fan-boi.

[JudgeDredd]

I could almost promise you he is a top 10 pick- LOCK.

Why? Falcons pick ten and there is no way he is slipping past his old coach. IMO, he might even go sooner. But no way will he go lower than the Falcons.

[maryjanewatson]

An Okoye thread? I dare to dream it and it comes true!

[NoAlibi]

Originally Posted by Psykes

Please do name what you broke (amuse me).

lol...You got me...it was more a figure of speech.....I don't let things I have no control over get to me that much..But I will be even more disappointed in the pick.

[Bucalicious]

Originally Posted by JudgeDredd

I could almost promise you he is a top 10 pick- LOCK.

Why? Falcons pick ten and there is no way he is slipping past his old coach. IMO, he might even go sooner. But no way will he go lower than the Falcons.

Well I personally want this kid on our team bad!!!

We are talking future defensive Captain, a long career, and he's got a lot of tallent.

I cant wait to see how he does at the combine this year. I want us to scoop this kid up, I wouldnt be unhappy at all with this selection.

That pick would not disappoint me at all.

[Buccs99]

Originally Posted by I'm an 0-26 Survivor

This is what I worry about, coach. I worry about you not doing your homework and dismissing someone based on suppositions and other criteria. I worry about you having millions of dollars at your disposal and more draft choices than we have had in years, and then making decisions based on reasons that you pull out of a hat, among other places.

I worry about that more than anything.

100% what I was going to say. This is a kid that is already a role model to people. How can you make those type of comments on someone like him ? Gruden will find a way to screw this up. I lost all hope in him.

DT is a MAJOR spot on our team that needs fixed right away. this kid is the perfect fit. Big, Fast, athletic, etc...Kinda sounds like someone we had here in the past.

[Buccs99]

Originally Posted by Xandtar

The guy must be brilliant, if he's a college senior at 19. I mean, when did he start high school, age 11?

Did you not read the article ?