Olaijah Griffin
{{Short description|American football player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Olaijah Griffin
| image = Olaijah Griffin.png
| image_size =
| caption = Griffin in 2017
| current_team =
| number =
| position = Cornerback
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|3|10}}
| birth_place = Mission Viejo, California, U.S.
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lbs = 176
| highlights =
| high_school = Mission Viejo High School
| college = USC
| undraftedyear = 2021
| pastteams =
- Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|2021}}–{{NFL Year|2022}})*
- New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2022}})*
- Seattle Sea Dragons ({{XFL Year|2023}})
| status =
| pfr = GrifOl00
}}
Olaijah Griffin (born March 10, 1999) is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at USC and was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2021.
High school career
Griffin played the positions of cornerback and wide receiver while on the Mission Viejo football team. Between 2015 and 2017 during his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons, Griffin and the team earned numerous regional, state and All-American accolades. In his senior season in 2017, Griffin earned personal distinctions including the Los Angeles Times' All-Area Back of the Year award and the All-South Coast League MVP award.[https://usctrojans.com/sports/football/roster/olaijah-griffin/11253 "Olaijah Griffin USC Profile"] at USC Trojans.com. Retrieved December 7, 2023
College career
As a freshman cornerback during the 2018 season with the USC Trojans, Griffin only played 8 games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in the game against Colorado. After surgery, Griffin joined the 2019 spring practice at a limited capacity while he continued recovery. He went on to start 10 of the 11 games during the 2019 season. However, Griffin injured his back during the game against Utah. This injury caused him to miss the Trojans' game against Washington. Griffin was cleared to play again, only to reinjure his back during the game against Notre Dame. Griffin returned in his junior year for the 2020 season where he started in 5 of the total 6 games played prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. During his sophomore and junior seasons, Griffin earned All-Pac-12 honorable mentions. While at USC, Griffin majored in communication.
Griffin only played three seasons of college football as he declared for the 2021 NFL Draft along with junior season teammates Alijah Vera-Tucker and Talanoa Hufanga.[https://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/story/2021-01-01/usc-cornerback-olaijah-griffin-declares-for-nfl-draft "Olaijah O.G. Griffin"] at LA Times.com. Retrieved December 7, 2023
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 11 3/8
| weight = 176
| dash = 4.57
| ten split = 1.59
| twenty split = 2.66
| shuttle = 4.38
| cone drill = 7.04
| vertical = 34.0
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 11
| arm span = 31 7/8
| hand span = 8 3/4
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/olaijah-griffin/32004752-4923-8309-b5e5-edac44319965 |title=Olaijah Griffin Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=November 24, 2022}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1022220&DraftYear=2021 |title=2021 Draft Scout Olaijah Griffin, Southern California NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |website=draftscout.com |access-date=November 24, 2022}}{{Cite web |url=https://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/105319 |title=Olaijah Griffin 2021 NFL Draft Profile |website=insider.espn.com |access-date=November 24, 2022}}
}}
= Buffalo Bills =
After going unselected in the 2021 NFL draft, Griffin was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent.{{Cite web |last=Zemek |first=Matt |date=May 1, 2021 |title=USC's Olaijah Griffin signs with Bills as undrafted free agent |url=https://trojanswire.usatoday.com/2021/05/01/usc-trojans-cornerback-olaijah-griffin-signs-with-bills-as-undrafted-free-agent/ |access-date=March 19, 2023 |website=USA Today}} He was released at the final roster cuts but re-signed to the practice squad the next day, where he spent the rest of the 2021 season.{{Cite magazine |last=Pattison |first=Claudette Montana |date=August 31, 2021 |title=Olaijah Griffin Released By Buffalo Bills |url=https://www.si.com/college/usc/trojans-in-the-pros/olaijah-griffin-failed-to-make-buffalos-53-man-roster |access-date=March 19, 2023 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}{{Cite web |last=Talbot |first=Ryan |date=September 1, 2021 |title=Buffalo Bills announce 2021 practice squad |url=https://www.syracuse.com/buffalo-bills/2021/09/buffalo-bills-announce-2021-practice-squad.html |access-date=March 19, 2023 |website=Syracuse.com}} He was signed to a two-year futures contract on January 24, 2022.{{Cite magazine |date=January 24, 2022 |title=Buffalo Bills Signing Ex-USC CB Olaijah Griffin to 'Futures Deal' |url=https://www.si.com/college/usc/trojans-in-the-pros/olaijah-griffin-new-deal |access-date=March 19, 2023 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}} He was waived on August 14, 2022.{{Cite web |date=August 14, 2022 |title=NFL news roundup: Latest league updates from Sunday, Aug. 14 |url=https://www.nfl.com/_amp/nfl-news-roundup-latest-league-updates-from-sunday-aug-14 |access-date=March 19, 2023 |website=NFL.com}}
= New York Giants =
On August 15, 2022, Griffin was claimed off waivers by the New York Giants.{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Michael |date=August 15, 2022 |title=Giants claim DB Olaijah Griffin off waivers from Buffalo Bills |url=https://www.giants.com/news/giants-claim-db-olaijah-griffin-off-waivers-from-buffalo-bill |access-date=March 19, 2023 |website=Giants.com}} He was waived on August 29, 2022.{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Michael |date=August 29, 2022 |title=Giants waive 7 players ahead of roster deadline |url=https://www.giants.com/news/roster-moves-training-camp-2022-season-53-man-deadline-brian-daboll |access-date=March 19, 2023 |website=Giants.com}} The Giants re-signed Griffin to their practice squad on September 28.{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Michael |date=September 28, 2022 |title=Giants sign CB Fabian Moreau off practice squad; Sterling Shepard to IR |url=https://www.giants.com/news/sterling-shepard-injury-fabian-moreau-roster-makai-polk-olaijah-griffin |access-date=September 28, 2022 |website=Giants.com |language=en-US}} He was released on November 8, 2022.{{Cite web |last=Salomone |first=Dan |date=November 8, 2022 |title=Giants sign DT Aaron Crawford to practice squad; DB Olaijah Griffin released |url=https://www.giants.com/news/aaron-crawford-signed-practice-squad-olaijah-griffin-roster-baltimore-ravens |access-date=March 19, 2023 |website=Giants.com}}
= Seattle Sea Dragons =
On April 13, 2023, Grffin signed with the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL.{{Cite web |title=XFL Transactions |url=https://www.xfl.com/xfl-transactions |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=www.xfl.com |language=en}} The Sea Dragons folded when the XFL and USFL merged to create the United Football League (UFL).{{Cite web |last=Seifert |first=Kevin |date=January 1, 2024 |title=Newly formed United Football League sets 8 markets, tabs coaches |url=https://www.espn.com/xfl/story/_/id/39222541/newly-formed-united-football-league-sets-8-markets-tabs-coaches |access-date=January 15, 2024 |website=ESPN.com}}
Personal life
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://usctrojans.com/sports/football/roster/olaijah-griffin/11253 USC Trojans bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffin, Olaijah}}
Category:Buffalo Bills players
Category:New York Giants players
Category:American football safeties
Category:USC Trojans football players