A few weeks ago, I spoke with Okechukwu Okoroha regarding his journey to becoming an NFL prospect. The safety from Marshall has some of the best film I have seen from any defensive back this cycle and some outstanding measurables, but because of an off-field incident that occurred during his time at Boston College, Okoroha has not garnered the attention he deserves leading up to next month’s draft. At his Pro Day on March 13th, Okoroha ran a blazing 4.43 and did 25 reps of 225lbs. These numbers and others would have placed the safety among the top performers at his position at the NFL Combine.
Earlier this month, he had the chance to make his case to change that, and he clearly made the most of it.
At his Pro Day on March 13th, Okoroha ran a blazing 4.43 and did 25 reps of 225lbs. These numbers and others would have placed the safety among the top performers at his position at the NFL Combine.
Rather than focusing on the success of these numbers, however, Okoroha told Breitbart Sports that he was focused on what he felt was a poor performance in the vertical jump (33″). “I was pissed off about that vertical, but I didn’t want it to affect the rest of my day,” he said.
Fortunately for Okoroha, there was a large audience there to take in his performance. “A lot of teams were there,” he said. “There were about 24 teams. It was a really good day. One of the scouts came up to me and (teammate Dominick) LeGrande and talked with us like a father figure. He said no one is doubting our athleticism.”
Okoroha noted that his agent has been receiving “positive feedback” from teams and that Oakland and San Francisco seemed particularly interested at Pro Day.
Following Pro Day, Okoroha said he would be relieved to focus exclusively on football-related drills to improve his skills on the field rather than pre-draft measureables. He is clearly focused on improving his game and seems to have the chip on his shoulder that so many successful players who did not receive appropriate pre-draft attention have.
As an NFL prospect, Okoroha continues to stand out. I continue to believe he is worthy of a Round 2-4 selection, and he certainly stands out for his humility, athleticism, intelligence, and physical approach to the game. If he goes later in the draft or if he goes undrafted, this safety will be one of the steals of the 2013 NFL Draft.
We will continue to follow Okechukwu Okoroha and his preparation for the NFL Draft. Stay tuned for Breitbart Sports for updates on this prospect.
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