Ayo Oyelola
{{Short description|English player of American football (born 1998)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Ayo Oyelola
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team =
| number =
| position = Safety
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|10|19|df=y}}{{cite web|title=Ayo Oyelola|accessdate=9 December 2024|url= https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/ayo-oyelola-player-bio|website=Fox Sports}}
| birth_place = Dagenham, East London
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lbs = 213
| high_school =
| college = University of Nottingham
| cfldraftyear = 2021G
| cfldraftround = 3
| cfldraftpick = 22
| pastteams =
- Winnipeg Blue Bombers ({{CFL Year|2021}})
- Jacksonville Jaguars ({{NFL Year|2022}}–{{NFL Year|2023}})*
- Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|2024}})*
| status =
| cflstatus = Global
| highlights =
| statweek =
| statseason =
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 =
| statlabel2 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue2 =
| statlabel3 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue3 =
| statlabel4 = Pass deflections
| statvalue4 =
| statlabel5 = Interceptions
| statvalue5 =
| cflstatlabel1 = Games played
| cflstatvalue1 = 1
}}
Ayo Oyelola (born 19 October 1998) is an English professional American football safety. He has previously played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL)
Early life
From East London, Oyelola was a soccer player in his youth, and featured in the academy at teams such as Chelsea, Southend United, Dagenham and Redbridge and Ebbsfleet. He started playing American football at the University of Nottingham, where he graduated with a law degree in 2020.{{cite web|first=Cameron|last=Hogwood|date=10 October 2023|url=https://www.skysports.com/nfl/news/12118/12981689/ayo-oyelola-jacksonville-jaguars-safety-embraces-crisp-british-air-on-uk-homecoming|title= Ayo Oyelola: Jacksonville Jaguars safety embraces crisp British air on UK homecoming |accessdate=9 December 2024|website=Sky Sports}}{{cite web|url= https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/currentstudents/news/uon-graduate-signed-by-national-football-league-nfl-team|website=Nottingham.ac.uk|accessdate=9 December 2024|title= UoN graduate signed by National Football League (NFL) team|date=13 May 2022}}{{cite web|url= https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/nfl-jacksonville-jaguars-declan-rice-mason-mount-buffalo-bills-b2101819.html|website=Independent.co.uk|title= Ayo Oyelola: Ex-teammate of Mason Mount and Declan Rice with eyes on NFL career|accessdate=9 December 2024|first=Simon|last=Peach|date=15 June 2022}}
Career
=Winnipeg Blue Bombers=
Oyelola started out as a linebacker before transitioning to safety. He was drafted 22nd in the 2021 CFL global draft by Winnipeg Blue Bombers.{{cite web|date=1 June 2021|url= https://www.americanfootballinternational.com/winnipeg-blue-bombers-sign-2021-cfl-global-draft-pick-ayo-oyelola/amp/|website=American Football International|accessdate=9 December 2024|title= Winnipeg Blue Bombers sign 2021 CFL Global Draft pick Ayo Oyelola}} Oyelola made his debut for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League on 20 November 2021 against the Calgary Stampeders.{{cite web|url= https://www.americanfootballinternational.com/?p=137678#google_vignette|accessdate=9 December 2024|title= UK linebacker Ayo Oyelola makes CFL debut with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers|first= Alex |last=Malchow | website=American Football International |date=23 November 2021}}
=Jacksonville Jaguars=
In December 2020, it was announced that Oyelola had been one of eleven athletes from around to world to selected to participate in the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP). He did not secure a contract with an NFL team and decided to play in the CFL. In January 2022 it was announced that he was again selected to be a part of the NFL IPP, this time involving 13 athletes from around the world.{{cite web|website=Verge Magazine|accessdate=9 December 2024|url=https://vergemagazine.co.uk/nfl-three-british-players-make-the-ipp/|date=11 January 2022|title=NFL: THREE BRITISH PLAYERS MAKE THE IPP|first=Andre|last=Dixon}} He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars later that year. He was waived by the Jaguars on 30 August 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.news4jax.com/sports/2022/08/30/jaguars-cuts-recent-draft-picks-jay-tufele-gregory-junior-among-teams-final-cuts/|website=news4jax.com|accessdate=9 December 2024|title= Jaguars cuts: Recent draft picks Jay Tufele, Gregory Junior among team's final cuts|first=Justin|last=Barney|date=30 August 2022}} Oyelola re-signed with Jacksonville's practice squad the next day and spent the remainder of the season on the practice squad.
On 23 January 2023, he signed a reserve/futures contract with the Jaguars, but was waived again on 29 August, the conclusion of training camp. He later re-signed to the team's practice squad, where he spent the remainder of the season. On 9 January 2024, Oyelola signed a reserve/futures contract with the Jaguars. He was waived on 15 April.
=Pittsburgh Steelers=
On 2 September 2024, Oyelola was signed to a one year contract by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and joined their practice squad.{{cite web|title=Steelers sign British DB Ayo Oyelola to practice squad|url=https://triblive.com/sports/steelers-sign-british-db-ayo-oyelola-to-practice-squad/ |website=Triblive|first=Chris|last=Adamski|date= 2 September 2024|accessdate=9 December 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://atozsports.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers-news/steelers-news-ipp-player-practice-squad-ayo-oyelola/|website=atozsports.com|accessdate=9 December 2024|title=Steelers finalize their roster by taking advantage of one of the NFL's smartest rules|first=Rob|last=Gregson|date=2 September 2024}} He was released on 11 January 2025.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{sports links}}
{{108th Grey Cup}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oyelola, Ayo}}
Category:Players of American football from London
Category:English players of American football
Category:English players of Canadian football
Category:English expatriate sportspeople in Canada
Category:English expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Category:Alumni of the University of Nottingham
Category:American football safeties
Category:Black British sportsmen
Category:21st-century Black British people
Category:Canadian Football League players
Category:Expatriate players of American football