Oli Udoh
{{Short description|American football player (born 1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Oli Udoh
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| current_team = Tennessee Titans
| number = 72
| position = Offensive tackle
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|2|14}}
| birth_place = Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 6
| weight_lb = 320
| high_school = Terry Sanford {{nowrap|(Fayetteville, North Carolina)}}
| college = Elon (2014–2018)
| draftyear = 2019
| draftround = 6
| draftpick = 193
| pastteams =
- Minnesota Vikings ({{NFL Year|2019}}–{{NFL Year|2023}})
- New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|2024}})
- Tennessee Titans ({{NFL Year|2025}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 57
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 19
| pfr = U/UdohOl01
}}
Olisaemeka Udoh (born February 14, 1997) is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Elon Phoenix and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round, 193rd overall in the 2019 NFL draft.
Early life
Born to Benjamin and Rita Udoh in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Udoh attended Terry Sanford High School. He started playing football as a defensive lineman before transitioning to the offensive side of the ball as a senior, earning second team Cape Fear Region honors after helping the program reach the playoffs for the second consecutive year. Udoh was a NCHSAA student-athlete honoree in both 2012 and 2013 and also lettered in track and field in his final season, recording a top-throw of {{convert|44|ft|5|in|m|abbr=on}} in the shot put.{{Cite web|url=https://nc.milesplit.com/athletes/3076038-olisaemera-udoh/stats|title=Olisaemera Udoh - Stats|website=MileSplit North Carolina}}
College career
After taking a redshirt year in 2014, Udoh never missed a game with a total of 45 starts throughout his college career at Elon. He was named to the Colonial Athletic Association Football Academic All-Conference Team in both 2015 and 2016. In 2018, he earned a spot as a Phil Steele Football Championship Subdivision First Team All-American and was invited to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.{{Cite web |title=Olisaemeka Udoh - Football |url=https://elonphoenix.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5537 |access-date=May 28, 2019 |website=Elon University Athletics |language=en}}
Professional career
{{external media
| video1 = [https://www.vikings.com/video/elon-university-t-olisaemeka-udoh-s-full-2019-nfl-scouting-combine-workout Oli Udoh's NFL Combine Workout]
| video2 = [https://www.vikings.com/video/vikings-olisaemeka-udoh-elon-2019-nfl-draft Udoh gets drafted by Minnesota]
}}
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 5 1/2
| weight = 323
| dash = 5.05
| ten split = 1.76
| twenty split = 2.94
| shuttle = 4.78
| cone drill = 7.49
| vertical = 28.5
| broad ft = 8
| broad in = 9
| bench = 26
| wonderlic =
| arm span = 35 3/8
| hand span = 10
| note = All values from 2019 NFL Combine except short shuttle and 3-cone drill from Pro Day.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/oli-udoh/32005544-4f48-9451-1839-5671f0b17981|title=Oli Udoh Draft and Combine Prospect Profile|website=NFL.com }}{{Cite web |title=*Olisaemeka Udoh - Elon, OT : 2019 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile |url=http://www.draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1027818&DraftYear=2019 |website=www.draftscout.com}}
}}
=Minnesota Vikings=
Udoh was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings with the 193rd overall pick in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft.{{Cite web |date=April 27, 2019 |title=Vikings Select Elon T Olisaemeka Udoh in the 6th Round of the NFL Draft |url=https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-select-elon-t-olisaemeka-udoh-in-the-6th-round-of-the-nfl-draft |website=Vikings.com}}
Udoh was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Vikings on July 29, 2020. He was activated on August 13, 2020.{{Cite news |date=July 29, 2020 |title=Minnesota Vikings Player Updates On Reserve/COVID-19 List |work=Vikings.com |url=https://www.vikings.com/news/covid-19-players-reserve-opt-out-nfl-2020 |access-date=August 14, 2020}}
Udoh re-signed with the Vikings on March 18, 2023.{{cite web|title=Vikings Agree to Terms on Return for Olisaemeka Udoh|url=https://www.vikings.com/news/oli-udoh-free-agency-agreed-to-terms|author=Peters, Craig|website=Vikings.com|date=March 18, 2023}} He suffered a quad injury in Week 2 and was placed on injured reserve on September 19, 2023.{{cite web|title=Vikings place Oli Udoh on injured reserve to make room for Dalton Risner|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/vikings-place-oli-udoh-on-injured-reserve-to-make-room-for-dalton-risner|author=Williams, Charean|work=Pro Football Talk|publisher=NBC Sports|date=September 19, 2023}}
=New Orleans Saints=
On March 19, 2024, Udoh signed with the New Orleans Saints.{{cite web|title=New Orleans Saints agree to terms with offensive lineman Olisaemeka Udoh|url=https://www.neworleanssaints.com/news/olisaemeka-udoh-offensive-lineman-contract-new-orleans-saints-roster-2024-nfl-free-agency|website=NewOrleansSaints.com|date=March 19, 2024}}
=Tennessee Titans=
On April 17, 2025, Udoh signed with the Tennessee Titans.{{cite web |last1=Wyatt |first1=Jim |title=Titans Sign Offensive Linemen Sam Mustipher, Brenden Jaimes and Olisaemeka Udoh, Waive Tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere |url=https://www.tennesseetitans.com/news/titans-sign-offensive-linemen-sam-mustipher-brenden-jaimes-and-olisaemeka-udoh-waive-tackle-nicholas-petit-frere |website=tennesseetitans.com |access-date=18 April 2025}}
Legal troubles
On October 31, 2022, Udoh was arrested during the Vikings' bye week for falsely being accused of following a woman into a bathroom at a bar and refusing to leave and was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. The charges were later dismissed and his lawyer characterized the arrest as unlawful due to the evidence proving that he never entered the bathroom with a woman.{{cite web | url=https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/nfl/charges-against-nfl-player-have-reportedly-been-dismissed/ar-AA15yVzX?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=e2b3325756e54335b05f25b4b972aa87 | title=MSN | website=MSN }}{{Cite web |last=Ragatz |first=Will |date=October 23, 2022 |title=Report: Vikings' Oli Udoh Arrested in Miami For Disorderly Conduct | Sports Illustrated |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/.amp/news/report-vikings-oli-udoh-arrested-in-miami-for-disorderly-conduct |access-date=May 18, 2023 |website=SI.com}}
In May 2023, Udoh was cited on three separate occasions for traffic violations. Two of these incidents were for speeding, including driving 97 MPH in a 55 MPH zone on I-94 in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was also charged with reckless driving in a separate incident two days later.{{Cite web |last=Altmann |first=Erik |date=June 22, 2023 |title=Minnesota Viking cited for driving 97 mph in a 55 zone, reckless driving |url=https://kstp.com/kstp-news/local-news/minnesota-viking-cited-for-driving-97-mph-in-a-55-zone-reckless-driving/ |access-date=June 23, 2023 |website=KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News |language=en-US}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.tennesseetitans.com/team/players-roster/olisaemeka-udoh/ Tennessee Titans bio]
- [https://elonphoenix.com/sports/football/roster/olisaemeka-udoh/5537 Elon Phoenix bio]
{{Vikings2019DraftPicks}}
{{Tennessee Titans roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Udoh, Oli}}
Category:Players of American football from Fayetteville, North Carolina
Category:American football offensive tackles
Category:American football offensive guards
Category:Elon Phoenix football players
Category:Minnesota Vikings players