(WCMH) — It’s become commonplace for Ohio State football players to sign NFL contracts. Last season, 48 former Buckeyes landed on Opening Day NFL rosters.
Then this year, four Ohio State players were drafted with many more picked up as undrafted free agents, including one former OSU athlete who did not take a single snap on the varsity football team.
It’s an incredible story of a completely different path to the NFL.
From Nigeria to Scotland to Ohio State’s track and field team, Praise Olatoke took a unique path to professional football. He says that playing the sport has been a dream of his since he was a kid growing up in Scotland.
And while at OSU, he did join the club football team.
“Running track or the club team, or just random people I became friends with or even the gym.” Olatoke said.
Beginning in January, Olatoke took part in the NFL’s International Player Pathway program. So he’s been training at IMG Academy since the start of the year. He then earned a tryout with the Eagles at the team’s rookie mini camp, but didn’t make the roster.
So the Los Angeles Chargers called, looking to revamp their wide receiver room and add some serious speed. On June 14, he signed an NFL contract.
He credits a lot of his success to Buckeyes track coach Joel Brown and the Ohio State community.
“There’s so many people who supported me and I tell them like, I’m a big dreamer,” Olatoke said. “I’d tell them, Hey, I don’t know how I’m going to play in NFL, and they’d always cheer me on. And I do take a lot from to Ohio and Ohio State.”
And he’s not the only Ohio State product that signed with the Chargers. Westerville South graduate Jaelen Gill was a Buckeye from 2018-2019 before transferring to Boston College and eventually Fresno State.
“He’s a great guy,” Olatoke said. “And when when I go back to Columbus, if we’ve got time, we’re going to work out together.”